Fullmetal Alchemist Conspiracy
by Fallen Crest
Summary: Al refuses to help his brother with the Human Transmutation. A year later, they leave Resembool to go to Central. There, they discovery a conspiracy theory to destroy the military and get dragged headlong into it. Can they get out of this alive?
1. Chapter 1: The Failed Transmutation

A/N: I wrote this a while ago and posted it, but took the story down after a while. I don't know why I did that, but I'm reposting it. I also changed the name of the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"Water: 35 liters. Carbon: 20kg. Ammonia: 4 liters. Lime: 1.5kg. Phosphorus: 800g. Salt: 250 g. Saltpeter: 100g. Sulfur: 80g. Fluorine: 7.5g. Iron: 5g. Silicon: 3g. And a trace amount of fifteen other elements."- Edward Elric

Chapter 1: The Failed Transmutation

A young blond haired boy looked at his brother when he finished making the transmutation circle. "Are you ready, Al?" He asked, smiling a little nervous smile. The boy put his paint brush down and brushed his hands off on his shorts.

The light brown haired boy looked nervously at his brother. "I don't think we should do this, brother. We're just kids. We can't do this. It will end badly. Let's stop this now." Al replied as he started to stand up and back away from the transmutation circle.

Edward turned around to look at his brother. "Are you chickening out on me?"

"Brother, we both know this is a stupid idea. Don't do it." Al replied scared. He was afraid his brother would attempt the transmutation even without him.

"If you aren't going to help me with this then get out of here, Al. It's going to get rough soon." Edward growled and turned back around to the transmutation circle. Part of him was scared and nervous to the do the transmutation. He knew the transmutation would never work. The other part of him wanted to try it and see if he could do it, even though he knew in his heart and the back of his mind that he wouldn't be able to do it, but he had to at least try just for experience and knowledge.

Edward knew, just as Al knew, that it wasn't possible to bring back the dead. They both trained under Izumi Curtis for about six months and she kept telling them the same thing over and over. Life only goes in one direction. You are brought into this world and you die eventually. You can never come back. Once you die, you are dead forever.

Even knowing this, Edward wasn't going to back out. He came too far to back out now. A little thing like fear wasn't going to stop him. His father abandoned them when he was four and their mother died two years later. The only thing he had to live for was his brother. Whatever happened during this transmutation, he wasn't going to die and leave his brother.

"But brother…." Al started as he looked at Edward's back fearfully.

"Just go, Al." The older brother growled. "I want to do this already."

Al turned around and headed to the door to leave the room. He took one more glance at his brother before running out of the room and out of the house. He had a feeling this was going to go bad so he had to go get help fast, hopefully fast enough that his brother could be stopped before he attempted the transmutation.

Edward heard the door closed behind his brother and sighed. It was time to attempt the human transmutation. He was glad that his brother decided not to do the transmutation with him. He was afraid that Al would get hurt in the transmutation. He didn't care if he got hurt, but his brother meant a lot to him and he didn't want him hurt.

Edward took a deep, calming breath and placed his hands on the circle in front of him. His eyes closed, Edward beginning the transmutation.

The young alchemist opened his eyes and saw the golden light surrounding the room as the creation in the center of the circle began to take form. A door behind the creature appeared and opened with little black hands coming out of it. The arms grabbed his left leg and right arm.

Edward tried to pull away from the arms, but their grip on him was too strong. His eyes closed for a second in pain after he saw his leg and arm began to disappear. When he reopened them, he was now in a white area with a big door in front of him.

Al ran all the way to Winry's house to get her and her grandma's help to stop his brother, or save him if he was too late. "WINRY! GRANDMA PINAKO!" He yelled as soon as he got to their house. It was storming outside, but Al ignored the storm. He had to save his brother.

The door to the house opened and a young girl with blond hair stood there looking at her friend confused and worried. "Is something wrong, Al?"

"Winry, you have to help me." Al exclaimed frantically.

"What is going on, Al?" Pinako asked, coming up from behind her granddaughter.

"Brother, he is….. he is….." Al stopped, as he tried to calm his racing heart. The young boy took a deep breath. "He's attempting human transmutation. We have to go stop him."

Winry stared at Al with wide, scared eyes. "He's what? Isn't that forbidden?"

Al looked back towards the direction of his home and saw a light emitting from the top of the hill, most likely coming from his house. "He's already doing it. We have to go and get him. It's going to end badly." Al replied, with tears beginning to slide down his face.

Before anyone could say anything else, a loud, painful filled scream reached their ears. Al screamed when he heard the scream. "BROTHER!" The young boy turned around and ran back to his house, forgetting about Winry and Pinako.

The two women looked at each other, then ran after Al. "AL!" Winry yelled, as she chased after her friend.

The three ran to the room where Edward attempted the transmutation. The light from the transmutation died down by the time they got to the house. When they made it to the room, nothing could have prepared them for what they saw.

In the transmutation circle, there was this bloody, misshaped creature. In front of the circle was Edward laying in a big puddle of blood. His right arm and left leg were missing. His left arm was grabbing the place where his right arm should have been.

"BROTHER/EDWARD!" Winry and Al yelled at the same time and ran towards the young boy. Pinako walked behind them, more slowly. She didn't have the energy to be running all over the place. She was old.

"We need to get him back to our place so we can bandage him up before he dies." Pinako said.

The two kids nodded their heads and gently picked Edward up between them. They followed Pinako back to Winry's house as fast as they could.

It was a few days before Edward woke up. His whole body was in pain as he shifted in the bed he was in. When he tried to sit up, a hand was placed on his shoulder and held him down. "Don't get up yet. You need to rest and your wounds need to heal." Edward recognized the voice as Winry's.

Edward obeyed her and instead turned his head to look at her. His eyes squirted against the light coming in through the window. "Wh….." He stopped speaking and grabbed his throat with his left hand. His throat felt dry and hurt.

A glass appeared in front of his mouth and a hand was placed under his chin. The chin under his chin tilted his head back a little and poured the water in his mouth. "Is that better?" Winry asked, as she took the empty glass away from Edward's mouth.

Nodding his head, Edward wiped his mouth free of the water that slid out of the corner of his mouth. "Thanks. What happened? How did I get here?"

"Al came to get my grandma and me. He told us you were going to attempt human transmutation. We were too late to stop you. When we got there you were lying unconscious in a puddle of your blood with your leg and arm missing. We brought you here to bandage you up and you've been unconscious for three days." Winry explained to her friend.

Edward turned to look at the ceiling. "Winry, please don't be mad or upset, but can you give me automail? I have money up at the house in a box in a closet I can use to pay you with."

"Why? Why do you want automail?" Winry asked sadly.

"I'm not going to go through my life with a stump for an arm and leg." Edward replied. "Please Winry. I don't want to go through the rest of my life like this."

Winry looked at her best friend with sad and painful filled eyes. She hated the pain her friend was going through and the pain he was willingly going to give himself. "Do you even have any idea of what you are asking for? Automail is extremely painful. The surgery itself is hell, but then you have to live with automail for the rest of your life. Automail is painful to your body. It will hurt you every day. When it gets really cold, the automail will freeze and send painful jolts into your body. When it rains your automail ports will be sore. When it is really hot, your body will burn around the automail ports. You'll be putting yourself through hell every day."

"I've already gone through hell once. I can live through it. Please Winry." Edward begged, looking at Winry with hopeful and pleading eyes.

"I'll talk to my grandma first, but I can't stop you from getting automail. It's your choice since you will be the customer, but I need to talk to grandma about it first." Winry said, as she started walking to the bedroom door. "I'll tell Al you are awake and have him bring you some food."

It didn't take Al long to get upstairs with some food for his brother. He put a bed tray in front of his brother and helped him sit up so he could eat, then he grabbed a chair and sat beside the bed. "Brother, are you okay?" Al asked in a pain filled voice.

Edward looked at his brother with a small, sad smile. "Yeah, I'm fine Al, for the most part."

"Is it true what Winry said? Are you really going to get automail?" Al asked.

"Yeah. I need it for my plan and I'm not going to go through the rest of my life with stumps for an arm and leg." Edward replied.

"What are you planning, brother?" Al questioned.

Edward ate for a few minutes before he glanced back at his brother. "I'm going to leave Resembool. I want to find dad and find out while he left and while I'm at it I'm going to help anyone who needs my help. The military doesn't help anyone who actually needs it. They just go to war and kill everyone there. I'm going to help people while looking for leads on finding dad."

Al looked out the window and watched as birds flew by. He was quiet while his brother went back to eating his breakfast. After a few minutes of silence he spoke again. "I'm coming with you, brother. I'm not letting you do this alone. You'll need help and I'm going to give you that help. And I'm not taking no for an answer. I'm coming with you and if you say I can't, then I'm telling Winry and Grandma Pinako not to give you automail."

The older brother looked at his brother with a smile and laughed. "Well, I guess I have no choice. You'll just have to come, even if I would rather you stay here and be safe." Edward sighed and looked out the window. "Can we do one thing before we leave?"

"What?" Al asked, curious about what his brother wanted.

"Can we burn down our house?" Edward asked, not taking his eyes off the window. "Finding dad will take time and we have nothing left in that house but memories. And some of those memories I want to destroy. I'm worried that if we leave the house how it is then we might give up on finding dad when it gets too hard and just come back here."

"If that's what you want, brother. We'll do it right before we leave." Al replied, sadly. He didn't want to burn the house down, but he could understand why his brother would want to do it. This was also a way for him to erase the mistake he made and move forward.

The human transmutation is in the past and it was time to move forward and continue their lives.

A/N: Please Review!


	2. Chapter 2: Train Trouble

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"If a certain somebody had acted calmly this would probably have ended peacefully, right?"- Alphonse Elric

"We can't move on if we only regret the past, little brother!"- Edward Elric

Chapter 2: Train Trouble

"Brother, it's only been a year. Winry and Granny Pinako said automail rehabilitation takes three years. Are you sure you want to leave now?" Al asked. He was dressed in tan shorts that reached his knees and a blue T-shirt. He had kept his hair short. He was worried about his brother being in pain from his automail limbs, but Edward was too stubborn and probably wouldn't listen to him.

Edward looked back at his brother as he moved around his bedroom at his and Al's house. "Yeah, Al. You know I don't like sitting still. I want to leave now. I want to see the country." The oldest brother closed his suitcase and turned completely around to face his brother. His outfit was black leather pants, a black muscle shirt, a black jacket that clipped shut at the top and white gloves. Over his jacket he had a red coat on with the alchemy symbol on the back. He wanted to keep his automail covered. The automail brought back bad memories for him so he liked to keep it covered. His hair had grown out in the last year so he had it braided. His bangs shaped his face in the front. "Are you all packed, Al?"

Al nodded his head. "Yes brother. I'm all ready to leave. Winry and Granny Pinako are waiting for us outside."

The two boys left the house for the last time and went outside to meet their friends. Winry looked at them sadly when they came outside. "Are you guys really leaving?" She asked with a sad voice.

"Yes." Edward replied instantly and continued on when he saw Winry begin to teary eyed. "I'm tired of waiting around for that bastard to return. I'm going to find him and find out why he left. And we want to help people who need help. We'll try to come back here and visit whenever we can." Winry nodded her head and hugged both boys tightly.

When they finished their good-byes the boys turned to their house and set it on fire like they planned a year ago. They watched the fire get bigger and bigger as it engulfed the house. Winry watched the house burn with tears running down her face. "Don't cry, Win. We'll be back." Edward whispered when he saw her crying. Al and him hugged her one more time and said bye to Pinako before they walked away towards the train station.

On the train, Al watched the scenery pass by fast as he sighed. "Where are we going first, brother?"

Edward looked from the window to Al. "To Central. I've always wanted to go there and while we're there we can see if we can get any information on him."

The boys fell silent and went back to looking out the window to look at the beautiful scenery. After a while, Ed laid down on the bench and went to sleep. Al continued staring out the windows until he heard a gun being fired. The bullet went through the roof of the train.

Ed cracked an eye opened. "What was that?"

"Oh, I think there is a terrorist attack on the train." Al said.

Yawning, Ed stretched his arms and back before settling back down. "The military will handle it."

*B*R*E*A*K*

In Central, the military headquarters was frantic. A call from the train General Halcrow is on just reached them, telling them they had taken the train hostage. "What is it that they want?" A man with black hair asked.

"Colonel, sir." A woman with blond hair saluted her boss. "They are demanding the release of their imprisoned leader."

The Colonel sighed. "Are we sure the general is really on board the train?"

"Yes sir." A man with black and white hair said. "He was the one who called us to inform us."

Mustang rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "That's a problem, and I had a date tonight."

A big man raised his cup of coffee and took a sip of it. "Try having an overtime date with us once and a while."

"So what is the problem?" A commanding voice said behind Mustang and his crew.

Everyone turned around and saluted him. "Furher King Bradley, sir. The General and the train the General is on have been taken hostage by some terrorists. We have no men on board to solve the situation." Mustang answered immediately.

The Furher was quiet for a few minutes as he took in this information. "When we the train be arriving in Central?"

"Half an hour, sir." Mustang replied.

"We should go to the train station then. We are not going to give in to terrorists." The Furher said.

*B*R*E*A*K*

"Why don't you act more like a hostage, shrimp?" One of the terrorists said to Edward as he continued to lay on the bench asleep.

The young blond alchemist sat up straight and glared at the man pointing a gun at him. "What. Did. You. Call. Me?" He glared and smacked his hands onto the man's gun and transmitted the gun so it would curl up. Then he jumped out of his sit and slammed his foot into the man's face.

Al just slapped his face as he watched his brother knock the man unconscious. "Brother. Stop." He reached out to grab his brother to stop him but before he could, the other man had reached them. His gun was pointed at Edward's head.

"Not bad, punk." The man replied. He clicked his gun to prepare to fire it at Edward. Before he could though, his hand was kicked upwards by Al and he fired his gun at the ceiling before he dropped the gun. Not wasting a second, Edward kicked the man in the stomach and the man dropped to his knees clutching his stomach. Edward proceeded to beat the man senseless while he ranted about how he wasn't short.

"WHO THE HELL IS SO MICROSCOPIC SMALL THAT HE CAN'T EVEN BE SEEN WITH A FOUR HOUNDERED TIMES MICROSCOPE?" Edward yelled.

Al sweat dropped and smacked his forehead again. "Brother, he didn't go that far. And please stop beating him up. He'll die if you continue this."

Edward stopped punching the man and looked at Al as he dropped the man to the ground. "So Al, are these those terrorists?"

The little brother sighed. "So all of this was just a subconscious reaction to hearing the word shrimp?"

"Are you implying something, Al?" Edward asked as he glared at his brother.

Al threw his hands up in front of him and laughed nervously. "No. I'm not saying anything like that." He took a few steps away from his brother. "And I don't know what is going on. I just know it's a terrorist attack."

Edward grinned evilly and cracked his knuckles. "I know the perfect way to find out." He turned to look at the man he dropped onto the ground. Al groaned in response as his brother began to beat the answers he wanted out of the man. His brother could be so violent at times.

"So Al, what do you say? Want to help out? If we don't I don't think the military will be able to do anything." Edward asked after the man finished telling them what was going. He and his partner were tied up and left in the aisle.

"Isn't this why we left home, brother? To help people in this kind of situation?" Al asked.

"I know, Al. Teacher trained us well so we should be able to handle this." Edward replied. He took off his red coat and threw it onto the bench. "I'll go at them from the top of the train. I'll work my well to the engine room and free them then go get the leader. You get to the front car by going through all the train cars down here, okay?"

Al nodded his head. "Okay brother."

"Be careful, Al." Edward replied as he opened a window and began to climb out.

"You too, brother." Al said. His brother just waved his hand at him to show he heard him and pulled the rest of himself out of the train.

Al pulled his suitcase out and pulled a pair of gloves out of it. His brother had made these gloves for him. The gloves had a transmutation circle on them. Edward learned how to do transmutation without a circle and since they knew they might run into trouble like this on their travels, Edward made him these gloves so he could help fight with his brother and not be a burden on him.

After pulling the gloves on, Al made himself a sword. While training with Teacher, he and his brother learned alchemy, hand to hand combat, and how to make different types weapons and how to use them. Al wouldn't kill anyone with the weapons. He and his brother both agreed that they would never kill, but he needed a weapon to help defend himself against these men.

Al opened the door to the next car and saw two men standing by the door. Quietly, Al closed the door and moved towards the man. When he was close enough, Al grabbed the man's wrist with the gun and twisted it behind his back, making the gun drop to the ground. The man went to turn around but Al stopped him by kicking him in the back.

The next man in the room turned around when he heard the gun hit the ground and went to aim his gun at Al. Before he could, Al's sword came down on the man's hand, slicing off his fingers and causing the gun to fall to the ground. The man grabbed his hand and screamed in pain.

Al winced when he saw the fingers fall to the ground. He didn't want to do that. He hated causing people pain. Al threw the man he had in his grip at the other man, knocking them both to the ground. He dropped to the ground, letting go of his sword, and clapped his hands, then slammed them on the ground. Beams of metal came up out of the ground and bind the men to the ground. Finished taking care of those men, Al moved onto the next car.

Edward ran to the engine room and jumped through the window, his feet smashing into one of the men's face. The second man turned to Edward with his gun raised and fired. The blond haired alchemist jumped to the left and the bullet hit his right arm.

The terrorist looked at him shocked when the bullet ricochet off Edward's arm and hit him in the leg. The conductors slammed their fists in his face, knocking him out.

"That's done." Edward replied as he dusted his hands off. "Time to take out the leader." He climbed back out of the train and climbed back onto the roof.

A man opened the door that was on the top of the car and saw Edward climbing onto the roof and aimed his gun at him. When Ed saw him, he ducked and wrapped his arms around the ladder he was on. He clapped his hands and put them on the side of the train, making a cannon on the top of the train. Ed jumped behind the cannon and fired it at the man, making him drop back into the train.

"Hey you, don't mess with that tender! It's the life of this train!" One of the conductors yelled out to him.

Ed turned to look at him. "Sorry!" He turned back around and looked at the car. "Hmmm. Tender."

Ed smirked and moved forward on the car. He clapped his hands and placed them on the roof, making a microphone for him and a speaker that appeared in the next car with his face on it. "Attention all terrorists," Ed began speaking into the microphone. "We have captured the engine room and rear cars. The only car left is this one. Release these hostages. Failure to do so and we will forcibly remove you."

"I don't think so." The leader said. "As long as we have these hostages we won't lose."

Ed sighed. "Is that so? Guess I'll just have to prove you wrong." The young alchemist clapped his hands again and put them on them on the train car again. This time making a big water pipe. All hostages please hold onto something."

Without any other warning, Ed turned a handle, turning the pipe on and allowing water to come blasting out of the pipe. The water pushed all the terrorists but the leader out of the train car and towards the waiting Al.

Al slammed his hands on the ground, as soon as the terrorists were forced out of the car, and bind them to the ground with metal beams. With that done, he entered the train to help his brother against the leader.

"NO! I will not lose!" The leader yelled. Angrily, he climbed out of one of the windows and onto the roof of the car where Ed was waiting for him.

"Oh?" He said with an evil glint in his eye. "Another automail user?"

"You're just a kid." The leader said in disbelief.

Ed smirked. "I may be just a kid, but I am the kid who just kicked your asses."

"You haven't won yet." Bald growled.

Grinning evilly, Ed lunged at the man. His fist slammed into Bald's face. Bald stumbled back a step before regaining his balance and lunging forward at Edward, who threw his hands out in front of himself to push him away. Their hands connected and each of them was trying to push the other back.

"What is a kid like you doing helping the military? Do you have any idea of what those bastards did?" Bald snarled, pushing Ed back, making him slide back.

Snarling, Ed pushed Bald back with more strength. "I'm not doing this for the military. I'm doing this because there are innocent people on this train. I'm not going to let you hurt them. The military means nothing to me. I'm on my own."

"A little piece of advice kid, I used to work for the military to. It was all fun as long as I was pissing on cue. I wanted this arm to be stronger. Eventually the military let me go. They didn't like having a dog stronger than his superiors. They were afraid they couldn't control me. Since then I've gotten a taste for destroying them. You understand, kid. You wanted to be strong just like me." Bald replied.

Shadows flashed over the two as the train slowed to a stop in the train station.

"No, I don't understand." Ed growled with some difficulty as Bald started to push him back again. "And don't you ever lump into my reasons for this arm." With a sudden burst of strength, Ed pushed himself forward, crushing Bald's arm as he did. Metal pieces rained down around the, clatteringly against the roof of the train.

"You brat!" Bald growled.

Using the momentum from destroying Bald's arm, Ed spun on his heels, kicking his left leg up as he spun. As soon as he made a full spin his feet came into contact with Bald's neck, sending the older man flying off the roof of the train. Ed jumped off the train and landed next to Bald's body. "The military didn't let you go because you were stronger than your superiors. You're a weakling, Bald, just like that cheap automail you have." Ed hissed.

Quicker than Ed thought possible for him, Bald stood and swung out toward Ed. A knife was extended from the part of his arm that was still intact. Eyes wide, Ed jumped away just in time so the knife only cut the front of his jacket and shirt.

"Damn Bald. Even when you lost you still try to win." Ed said cockily while smirking. His hands came in front of him in a clap. Faster than Bald could ever be, Ed dropped to the ground with his hands slamming on the cement so hard that one would think he broke them with the resounding sound it made. Spikes sprouted from the ground, trapping Bald where he stood. One of them went through what was left of his automail arm.

"Unbelievable." Mustang said as he watched that kid break Bald's arm and proceeded to kick him off the roof. The train had just come into the station. Immediately, the two on top of the train were noticed and their fight stole the attention of the soldiers.

"Who would have thought a kid would come to our rescue?" Havoc said, chuckling.

Hawkeye frowned at him. "It isn't funny. A child shouldn't be dealing with this. What was he thinking getting involved in military matters?"

Shrugging, Havoc pulled a cigarette out. "Seems we aren't needed here after all."

"Perhaps we should get the terrorists arrested." Hughes suggested with a frown. He looked over at Ed who was looking around the train station. "And probably talk to that kid."

A/N: Please review!


	3. Chapter 3: Central

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of equivalent exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth."- Alphonse Elric

Chapter 3: Central

Al looked around the front car for his brother when the train came to a stop at the train station. His eyes swept over a window. They were about to continue pass it when Al saw his brother's gold hair out the window.

"Brother!" Al said, jumping out the train window.

Ed glanced over at him. "I thought you were the proper one."

Al stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"You just jumped out the train window. You always tell me to use a door when I jumped out the windows at Winry's." Ed explained, grinning at his brother's abashed look.

The younger brother shrugged. "Well, I wanted to make sure you were okay after your fight with him."

Ed ruffled Al's hair. "Never better. He didn't even touch me." Al raised a brow and motioned to his brother's shirt. "This? Bald had a knife and cut my shirt. He never made contact with my skin." He glanced over at the military soldiers rounding up the terrorists. "Let's go get our suitcases."

"Brother," Al said as they jumped off the train with their suitcases. "Do you think the passengers will tell the soldiers that we saved the train?"

Frowning, Ed looked over his shoulder at his brother as he led him the train station entrance/exit. "I don't think it will matter. I was fighting Bald on top of the train when it pulled into the station. They already saw me. Let's just get out of here before they come to talk to us."

They pushed their way through the crowd and walked quickly to the exit, wanting to get far away from the military and the eyes that they felt on them, watching their every step. As soon as they got out of the train station they ran off in a random direction.

After running for about half an hour, Edward slowed to a walk and looked behind him. "Stupid military." He mumbled annoyed.

"Brother, what do we do now?" Al asked, slowing to a walk to stay with his brother.

"Find a hotel." Edward replied. "I'd rather not sleep in the streets."

"How are we suppose to pay for this?" Al asked.

Edward smiled at his little brother. "As much as I hate him, that bastard left us a lot of money. So we still got some left even after the automail I got."

Al looked at his brother curious. "How much is some?"

"Enough for us to have a hotel room for a while." Edward replied. "Besides that, we inherited money from when mom died. Then some of the people in the village paid us when we helped fix stuff for them. So we should have enough money for a few months if we don't waste it on useless junk."

Al smiled. "Okay, brother. How long are we going to be staying in Central?"

Edward frowned. "I don't know. As long as it takes us to find a lead on finding that bastard."

Both boys made it to a nice hotel and rented a room on the top floor. It had two bedrooms, a small kitchen, a bathroom, and a small living room.

The carpet of the room was a very light brown and the walls were tan. In the living room there was a couch, a recliner chair, a coffee table, and a rug. The kitchen had a stove, refrigerator, and a table. Both the rooms had a bed, a dresser, and a wardrobe.

Edward and Al each picked a room and put their stuff away. "Hey Al!" Edward yelled out to his little brother. "We need to go find a bank. I don't want to carry this money with us everywhere we go. It could get stolen or we could lose it. Then we can explore Central, okay?"

Al walked into his brother's room. "Sure, brother. I'm all ready to go."

The older brother grabbed the money and turned to his little brother. "Let's go then, Al."

After getting an account set up at a bank, which took forever in Ed's opinion because the accountant kept badgering them about so young and wanting an account of their own, the boys started exploring the city.

"Brother!" Al exclaimed suddenly. He and Edward were in a book store looking at the most advance books they could find when Al looked out the bookstore window.

Edward looked up from the book he was looking at. "Wha…" Al grabbed his brother's arm and pulled him onto the ground before Edward could finish his question.

"I saw a military man outside. From the stars on his uniform, I say he is a Colonel. He had black hair and his gloves have transmutation circles on them, like mine, except I don't know what the transmutation circles are for. I've never see them before." Al explained to his older brother.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Great." The young alchemist sighed and grabbed the book he dropped. "Let's see if this place has a backdoor."

The two boys grabbed the books they wanted to buy and crawled towards the cashier lady, who was watching them strangely. "Uh…what are you two doing?" She asked.

"We would like to buy these books." Edward said as he and Al put their books and money on the counter.

"….Okay." The cashier said, still confused as to what they were doing. After putting the books in a bag for the boys, the cashier gave the bags to the kids. "Is there anything else you needed?"

Both boys turned to look out the window to see if the military man was still hanging around. He was on the other side of the street flirting with a woman. Rolling his eyes at the man, Edward turned back to face the cashier. "Does this place have a backdoor?"

"Yeah. Why?" The woman asked.

"We're just hiding from some people." Al answered.

The woman nodded her head and led the boys to the backdoor. After letting them out the backdoor, the cashier went back to the front of the store.

When she got to the front of the store, she saw the military man in the store that she saw outside the store a few minutes ago. "Hello sir, can I help you?" She asked.

"I'm looking for two kids. One with long golden-blond hair tied in a braid and gold eyes. He is wearing black leather pants, a black jacket, and a red coat. The other kid has short golden-blond hair and gold eyes. He is wearing tan shorts and a blue T-shirt." The man asked.

The cashier frowned. The description was of the two boys she just let out the backdoor of the store. Was this the man the kids were hiding from?

When the cashier was silent for a few minutes, the military man frowned. "Have you seen them?" He asked.

"Yes. They just left though." The cashier replied.

The military man frowned. "Is there a backdoor to this place? I was watching the front door and I didn't see them come out."

The cashier frowned. Military personal were too observant. She could lie and say there wasn't, but chances were that he would know and she could get in trouble for lying to the military officer and for helping the two kids run from him. "Yes." She said after a few minutes of thinking.

"Show me it." The man commanded.

The cashier's frown deepened as she led the officer to the back\door. "Thank you." He said as he left.

The alchemist brothers walked down the road talking happily as they continued exploring the city. Besides almost meeting the military officer at the book store, the brothers haven't met any other officers.

"Want to go somewhere for dinner or do you want to buy some food and cook something?" Edward asked.

"Let's eat out tonight then go shopping for food tomorrow. I'm too tired to do anything else." Al answered. He and Ed saved a train from terrorists, ran from the military at the train station, then walked around the city all day after that. It was an exhausting day.

Edward nodded his head and led his brother to the nearest restaurant that he found. A waitress took them to a table and took their orders. While they waited for their food, Edward and Al looked around the restaurant while they talked. They stopped talking when their food arrived.

As they were eating, they stopped paying attention to their surroundings because they were so absorbed into their delicious tasting food. So when a man sat down at the table and shoved a picture in each of their faces they were really surprised and jumped to their feet and grabbed their hearts.

"What the hell?" Edward exclaimed angrily. He looked at the man to see he was wearing a military uniform. He had black hair and square glasses with hazel eyes behind them.

"Maes, we aren't here to show off your wife." A man said as he placed his hand on Edward's shoulder.

"We also didn't come here to arrest two kids." A female voice joined them.

The man holding Edward's shoulder sighed. "We aren't going to arrest them. Just talk with them over dinner. That is what we came here for." The man pushed Edward back into his chair and sat next to him. The female pushed Al back into his seat and sat down to.

Edward and Al stared at each other then looked at the three other officers. The second man was the man that Edward and Al saw outside the book store. The female had blond hair and brown eyes.

"Who are you guys?" Edward growled, clearly annoyed about the three officers interrupting his and Al's dinner.

"Colonel Roy Mustang, The Flame Alchemist." The black haired man said.

The man with glasses and black hair answered next. "Major Maes Hughes."

"First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye." The female said.

"What are your names?" Hughes asked gently. They are just kids so he didn't want to be mean. The kids didn't need it.

Edward huffed and leaned back in his seat. "Edward Elric."

Al smiled at his brother. He was annoyed to that the military was there, but he wasn't going to be rude. He still remembered the manners that Master taught them, even if his brother didn't remember them. "Alphonse Elric."

"What do you want?" Edward growled.

"Firstly to thank you two for saving the train and the general earlier today. It was going to be a pain to figure out a plan to save the train without giving into the terrorists. You two being on that train was a miracle for us. It saved us time." Mustang said.

Edward scoffed. "Whatever."

"You're a grumpy little kid, aren't you?" Hughes asked.

In a blink of an eye, Edward jumped to his feet and pulled Hughes out of his seat by the collar of his jacket. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL THAT HE CAN'T BE SEEN UNLESS WITH A MAGNIFYING GLASS!" Edward yelled.

Hughes and Hawkeye just blinked in confusion. Al hit his forehead and Mustang laughed. "What was that about?" Hughes asked, blinking.

"That was brother yelling about being called short. He hates it more than anything." Al explained. "Be lucky that's all he did. He beat one of the terrorists on the train unconscious for calling him a pipsqueak."

Edward huffed, let go of Hughes and sat back down. "The bastard deserved it."

Mustang rolled his eyes. "You two are strange."

"Excuse me, sir, but is there something you need?" Al asked politely.

"The Fuhrer would like to meet you two so we want to take you two to Central Command." Mustang explained.

Edward's eyes narrowed and he looked at his brother. Silently they agreed that they weren't going. "No, we are not going." The older brother growled, slamming his hands on the table.

"Why?" Hawkeye asked.

The brothers locked eyes. Edward looked at his brother than moved just his eyes towards the restaurant door, hoping Al would get the message. Al smiled to show he understood. "We hate the military."

With that said Edward slid off of his seat and clapped his hands fast and slammed them on the ground, causing an earthquake in the restaurant. While the military officers were getting over the earthquake, Edward got out from under the table and he and his brother ran out of the restaurant.

"Was that alchemy?" Hughes said, dazed.

Mustang crawled under the table and looked at the ground where Edward was. "Hawkeye, did you see any transmutation circles on the kid's gloves?"

"No, sir." Hawkeye answered immediately. "Why, sir?"

"There's no circle down here. If I'm right in my guess then the kid did alchemy without a transmutation circle." Mustang replied. "Did either of you see where they went?"

"Just that they ran out of the restaurant. I didn't see the direction they ran." Hughes replied.

Mustang groaned in response. "That's just great. It took us all day to find them and when we do find them they outsmart us and escape."

Hughes pushed his glasses up on his face. "It's not all bad. We did find out their names. I can probably find some information about them now that we know their names."

"Get on it right away." Mustang replied.

A/N: Please Review!


	4. Chapter 4: Blackmail

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHORT? I'M GONNA BREAK YOUR FEET OFF AND STICK 'EM ON YOUR HEAD!"- Edward Elric

Chapter 4: Blackmail

At Central Headquarters in Mustang's office Hughes and his team were speaking with Mustang and his crew. It had been two days since Edward and Al escaped from Mustang, Hawkeye, and Hughes at the restaurant. After two days of searching Hughes felt he had enough information about the two boys.

"So Hughes what have you found out about those kids?" Mustang asked.

Hughes stood up and gave Mustang a file. "Edward Elric: 12 years old. Birthday: February 3, 1899." [1] The major's eyes widened and he grinned as he pulled a bunch of pictures out. "That's the same day as my beautiful Elysia's birthday. Want to see some pictures?" Not waiting for an answer, Hughes shoved the pictures in Mustang's and the others' faces.

"HUGHES!" Mustang yelled. "Stop with the pictures. Continue with your report about the kids."

Huffing, Hughes put the pictures away. "Alphonse Elric: 11 years old. Birthday: August 18, 1900. [1] They are brothers from a small village in the east called Resembool. You guys should remember it. We passed through it when we were on our way to and from Ishval."

Hawkeye put her hand on her chin thoughtfully. "Now that you say that those two kids did look a little familiar. We must have passed them when we were in Resembool. I remember passing two kids performing alchemy together when we were on our way back here. They looked so happy then. When we saw them a couple days ago it looked like they haven't smiled recently, the older more than the younger. I wonder what would make them not want to smile and why they would come to Central."

Hughes pushed his glasses back up and frowned. "When Edward was four and Al three their father, Van Hohenheim, abandoned them. A few months after that their mother, Trisha Elric, died of a disease. A friend of the family helped took care of them after that, but they were rather independent and didn't ask the friend for much help. No one knows why they left Resembool and if they do then they aren't telling. Something must have happened to cause them to want to leave."

"Did you find out where they are staying? We still need to bring them in." Mustang said.

"Central Hotel." Hughes replied.

Mustang nodded his head. "Hawkeye, Havoc, Hughes, you will all come with me to find the kids. The rest of you, wait here."

All the officers saluted Mustang and the ones named followed the Colonel out of the office. Havoc and Hawkeye went to get the cars while the he and Hughes waited outside in front of Headquarters for them.

At Central Hotel, two brothers sat in their room. One sitting on a window sill staring angrily out the window. The other was sitting on the couch reading a book that he had gotten a few days ago. "Brother, what is wrong?" Al asked, looking up from his book when he heard his brother sigh.

"I don't have a clue of where to start searching for information on that bastard and the military is probably still looking for us. This sucks." Edward explained. "And to top it off, it's raining."

"Is your automail hurting?" Al inquired.

Edward nodded his head. "Nothing I can't handle though." The blond alchemist sighed and rubbed his right shoulder. "I'm going to go make lunch."

"Okay, brother." Al replied and went back to reading his book.

As Edward was in the kitchen cooking there was a knock at the door. Not wanting to bother his brother, Al got up and opened the door to the hallway that was connected to the living room.

"Good afternoon, Alphonse." Mustang said when Al opened the door.

Al frowned and looked at Mustang and everyone who was with him. He could just slam the door in their face and lock it but that would be rude and slamming the door in their faces wouldn't do anything for Al and Ed. They were on the top floor of the apartment building. Then again, they are alchemists. They could find a way down, but it would still be rude to slam the door in their faces.

So not wanting to be rude, Al shut the door quietly and nicely and locked the door. "BROTHER!"

Edward screamed in surprise and a lot of clanging and banging could be heard from the kitchen. Then moaning and swearing started. "Al, why did you have to scream?"

"Forget that." Al said, running into the kitchen that had a doorway connected to the living room. He froze when he got there. His brother was lying on the floor, buried under pots and pans and the table and chairs were flipped over.

Edward looked up at his brother. "What is wrong?"

"Um…The military is here." Al answered unsure as he looked at the kitchen.

Edward stared at his brother before throwing out every swear word known to man and stood up. "Where are they?"

"I closed the door in their faces." Al replied. "What do we do now, brother?"

Before Edward could reply, the door busted open and the officers entered the room. Al and Ed stared at them, then at their door, then back towards the officers, then back to the door, then back to the officers. "You're paying for that." Edward said, pointing towards the door.

Mustang rolled his eyes. "Whatever." And before Edward could even think about what he was doing, Mustang was in front of him and grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back then wrapped his other arm around Edward's chest keeping his other arm locked to his side.

Edward blink in surprise. "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LET GO OF ME!" He yelled.

"BROTHER!" Al yelled and moved to help his brother when the blond haired man with a cigarette in his mouth grabbed his arms and pulled them behind his back.

"I asked you nicely to come with us to headquarters two days ago and you ran off. I'm not asking this time." Mustang answered as he dragged the struggling Edward to the hallway. Havoc followed with the struggling Al and he was followed by Hughes and Hawkeye, who closed and locked the room door after grabbing the room key from a small table by the door.

When they got to the lobby, the check in lady looked at them in surprise. "Uh…..sir?" She asked nervously.

"We need to take the kids for a while." Mustang said and dragged the struggling and now yelling Edward out of the hotel and towards one of the military cars while Havoc dragged Al to the other car. Both boys looked at each other wide eyed when they saw they were being separated.

"AL!" Edward yelled, trying to get to his brother. Mustang tightened his grip on Edward to stop him from moving. Havoc did the same to Al, who was trying to get to his brother.

Mustang smirked. "You two won't try to escape if you are separated. You won't leave the other behind. That is your weakness. You two care too much for the other."

Edward growled and tried to get away from Mustang, while Al just frowned at Mustang. He was right of course. He wouldn't leave without his brother and his brother wouldn't leave without him.

"Now let's go." Mustang said as Hawkeye opened the back door of the car. The Colonel pushed Edward into the car and climbed into the back with him to make sure the kid wouldn't try anything. In the car behind them, Hughes climbed into the back seat with Al while Havoc climbed into the driver's seat.

Hawkeye climbed into the driver's seat and drove off with Havoc following her. She looked in her rear view mirror to see Mustang pinning Edward's hands to the seat. Sighing, Hawkeye continued to drive.

Al crossed his arms and pouted at he stared out the car window, watching the buildings fly by. Hughes watched him from the corner of his eye. "You different then your brother, aren't you?" Hughes asked.

"What do you mean?" Al asked, turning to face him.

"I don't know you two. I only just met you two days ago but I can tell your personalities are different. You are quiet and polite and your brother seems to be loud and rude." Hughes explained.

"Yeah. Brother and I have a lot of differences. When we were younger and our mom was still alive we used to fight a lot and over a lot of stupid stuff. Whenever we did fight I would run to a river or the nearest water I could find and sit in front of it. I wouldn't move from that spot until brother came for me. Sometimes it was a few minutes or it could be hours, but he would always come for me. He would never apologize. Each time we fought and he came for me he just said 'Come on, Al. Let's go.' After that he would just turn around and started walking away and each time I ran after him. Most people wouldn't be able to detect it but he's my brother and I can always hear the apology in his voice when he says that, even if he doesn't say it aloud. Since mom died we haven't fought as much, probably because we saw that we are all we have now." Al explained and sighed. "Everything was simple when mom was alive. I miss that time. Even though fighting with brother was not fun, it was a simple time."

Havoc looked in his rear view mirror. "You would gladly go back to fighting your brother if it would mean you could be back home with your mother alive and have a nice peaceful life?"

Al nodded his head. "I would like that, but brother wouldn't. I mean he would be glad that mom would be back but he is restless and doesn't like staying in one place for long. That's how it was at home. He was always running around doing something."

When they arrived at Central Headquarters, Mustang dragged Edward out of the car while Havoc gently pulled Al out of the car. Al seemed to have calmed down and didn't need much pulling to get out of the car.

Al glanced at his brother, who looked at him with a smile. The little brother smiled back and looked at the building they were being taken in to. Edward stopped struggling against Mustang's grip.

The six of them entered headquarters and Mustang lead them to the Fuhrer's office. Knocking on the Fuhrer's door, Mustang looked at Edward, who Hawkeye was now holding still, and Alphonse, who was being held by Havoc.

"Come in." The Fuhrer's voice said from the other side of the door.

Mustang lead the four adults and two kids into the office. "Sir, I have found the kids who were said to have saved the train the general was on two days ago."

Fuhrer King Bradley stood up and looked at the two kids. "Thank you, Colonel. You may all leave."

The four officers saluted the Fuhrer and left. Edward and Alphonse watched them quietly as they stood to the side.

When they were gone, the Fuhrer turned to the brothers. "You two know how to escape from the military." The Fuhrer said chuckling.

Edward and Alphonse looked at the Fuhrer strangely. "What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"You managed to evade the military all day two days ago after saving the train, which I would like to thank you for. I never expected two kids to be able to save a train from terrorists. General Halcrow sends his personal thanks. His family was on the train with him." The Fuhrer said.

The boys nodded their heads. "Sure. Do you want something else? We would really like to leave." Alphonse said nicely.

The Fuhrer folded his hands behind his back and walked out from behind his desk. "You two know alchemy, know how to fight, and are probably geniuses."

Edward crossed his arms. "What's your point?"

"Don't be rude, brother. He's the ruler of this country." Al hissed quietly at his brother.

"You are very straight forward." The Fuhrer said, chuckling again. "I want you two to join the military as state alchemist."

The older brother frowned and narrowed his eyes. "We are kids and we don't like the military. Why should we join the military?"

"Because I can have you arrested." The Fuhrer said.

"On what charges?" Edward demanded.

The Fuhrer walked back to his chair and sat down. "The charges of vigilantism. Vigilantism is not allowed. If you join the military then you will not get in trouble for it."

Edward and Alphonse glanced at each other. Edward's eye was twitching. "Blackmail." He whispered under his breath.

"So, what is your choice? Jail or join the military? You have a chance of not joining the military if you choose joining the military." The Fuhrer explained.

"What do you mean?" Alphonse asked.

"To become a state alchemist you need to take the state alchemist test." The Fuhrer explained. "It just so happens the state alchemist test is in two weeks."

Edward looked at his brother then back to the Fuhrer and growled. When they left Resembool this was not part of the plan. "Give us a week to talk this over." Edward proposed.

"I'll give you three days." The Fuhrer said with a commanding voice that left no room for argument.

A/N: I think vigilantism is illegal in some places. It probably isn't in Amestris because I'm sure people travel all the time and save and help others, but it could also be illegal but no one gets in trouble for it because they don't get caught. I just needed a way to get Edward to become a state alchemist and this was all I came up with.

[1] These birthdays are made up cause the dates of their birthday are never mentioned.

Please Review!


	5. Chapter 5: Decisions

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"On the day we left, we burned down the family home and all the familiar things inside. Because some memories... aren't meant to leave traces."- Alphonse Elric

Chapter 5: Decisions

In their hotel room in Central Hotel, Edward was pacing in front of the fire place with a hand on his chin and his other hand folded over his chest. Alphonse was sitting on the couch watching his brother with worry filled eyes with his head resting in his hands. "Brother, what do we do?"

Edward stopped his pacing to look at his brother for a second then went back to pacing. "I don't think there is much choice. We can't go to jail, but I don't want us joining the military especially as state alchemists. Teacher told us how they are dogs of the military. I don't want to be a dog."

"I don't either, brother, but what other choice do we have?" Alphonse asked.

"If we both become state alchemists there is a chance we will be separated. We could get different commanding officers or be sent on different missions. We came here to look for that bastard, not to become state alchemists. We're all we have. We can't afford to both become state alchemists." Edward replied.

Alphonse sighed. "But if we don't then we'll get arrested. And we can't escape the city because the Fuhrer ordered some military officers to keep an eye on us."

The older brother sighed and walked towards the window and looked down at the sidewalk and road. There he looked at the officers surrounding the hotel. "I said we can't both become state alchemists."

"Are you saying only one of us becomes a state alchemist?" Al asked, looking up at his brother with wide eyes. "But the Fuhrer said both of us had to become one."

"If only one of us becomes one then we won't be separated." Edward replied as he turned away from the window. "We don't have any choice. We aren't going to be separated and I don't want both of us to go through the hell of being a dog of the military."

Alphonse sat up and looked at his brother, frowning. "So who is going to become the state alchemist?"

Edward ran his flesh hand through his hair. "I will. I'm the older brother and it's my job to take care of you." Holding his hand up, Edward stopped his brother from speaking. "I'll hear none of it, Alphonse Elric. I'm the older brother and you're the younger brother. I'll be the state alchemist and there will be no arguing."

Alphonse huffed and sat back down, glaring at the wall. "Fine, brother."

"So Al, how about we ditch the military officers? We haven't caused any mayhem since mom…you know….died." Edward said sadly.

"You know we could get into a lot of trouble for this, but it sounds like fun." Al agreed. "But how do we do it? We got officers outside our door and down on the streets. I don't see any way we can escape from them."

Edward went back to looking out the window. "We can't get out the door and we can't go down onto the street. We can either climb up to the roof or climb out one of the windows that faces the alley."

Al shook his head. "Not the alley. We can easily get caught by the officers that way. They could see the light from our alchemy and wait for us at the bottom. It would be faster and safer to go from the roof."

"Good thing Master taught us well. Al, reinforce the door with alchemy to make it harder for them to get in." Edward replied as he opened the window and looked down. "If this works, this will be really funny. Military officers outsmarted by kids again."

"Maybe we should just run to the train station and leave." Al suggested as he finished sealing the door.

"No. They probably have officers there in case we do find a way to escape." Edward said. He climbed onto the window sill and clapped his hands. He placed his hands on the wall outside the building, making a ladder with the bricks. After making the ladder, Edward looked down to see if the military officers saw the light.

One of the officers was staring at Edward and the ladder he made. "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" He yelled.

Edward laughed. "They saw, Al. We have to move fast." The blond alchemist climbed out the window and onto the ladder as the officer pulled his radio out to tell the officers outside their room what was going on.

When Edward reached the roof, Al climbed out the window and followed him. While Al was climbing up, Edward went and locked the door that leads to the roof with alchemy so the officers couldn't get up on the roof easily. "Hey Al, get rid of the ladder." Edward said as he finished with the door.

As soon as Al was done, Edward and him ran to the edge of the roof and looked down. "That's a high drop." Al whispered.

"We just have to make sure we don't miss." Edward replied. "Or we could make a bridge to the next roof, but I think jumping would be easier and faster. We would have to keep stopping to make a bridge then get rid of the bridge when we got across."

Al nodded his head. "Jumping is best and it doesn't seem to be that far of a jump."

"GET BACK HERE, YOU BRATS!" A woman yelled at them.

"That lady is scary, brother." Al said.

Edward nodded his head. "She is, but not as scary as Master. Let's go." He and Al stepped back a few steps to get a running start. Al allowed his brother to jump to the first roof before following him. The two didn't stop running or jumping roofs until they jumped seven roofs.

"Let's climb down into the alley behind this building then go someplace." Edward said. Neither of the boys were out of breath. After training under their Master for six months they don''t get tired out easily.

The young blond alchemist clapped his hands and placed them on the back of the building they were on. A ladder formed and the boys climbed down into the alley.

Jumping off the ladder, Al looked around the dark alley. "Where are we going, brother?"

Edward stopped looking at the sky to look at his little brother. "Let's go to the train station first. I want to see if they are really officers there. We're figure out what to do from there."

Al nodded his head and the two boys started to run to the train station. It was best to keep moving fast to stay ahead of the military officers. They couldn't be caught now. It would ruin the fun of hiding from the military even if it was only for a few hours.

After running in the back alleys for about fifteen minutes, Edward and Alphonse got out of the alleys and started walking on the sidewalks in front of the buildings. It took them another ten minutes of walking to reach the train station.

When they got to the train station, Edward and Alphonse immediately stopped walking and jumped into the closest alley near them. Right in front of them with his back to them was a military officer with white and black hair. He was standing next to a military car.

Peeking out from the alley, Edward and Alphonse looked around to see more military officers around. "You know, I'm beginning to think the Fuhrer doesn't trust us, Al." Edward said as he looked at all the military officers and cars. He counted fourteen officers and three military cars.

"I can't say I blame him." Al responded. "I mean we did just break out of our hotel room."

Edward nodded his head. "Let's get out of here. We don't want to get caught already."

The alchemist brothers ran to the back of the alley and ran away from the train station. When they were about a mile and a half from the train station they got out of the alleys and looked around where they were to see they were near a park.

"Brother, let's go to the park." Al said, dragging his brother behind him to the park.

Edward smiled at his little brother. "It's been years since we've been to a park."

Both boys sat on the swings and started swinging. Al smiled as he and his brother fought to be the one to go the highest just like when they were younger and went to the park.

"Edward? Alphonse?" A kind male voice called to the two boys, breaking them out of their memories. They stopped swinging to see Hughes, a woman, and a baby girl.

"Hello Mr. Hughes." Alphonse greeted. Edward just nodded his head at the man.

Hughes smiled kindly at them. "What are you guys doing here? I thought you guys got locked into your hotel room." Edward grinned mischievously at him. Hughes just laughed when he saw the grin. "You guys snuck out, didn't you?"

"Yeah. We wanted to have some fun." Alphonse explained to Hughes. "When we were younger and living in Resembool with our mother we were terrible and caused a lot of mayhem. We haven't caused a whole lot of mayhem since we lost our mother. So we felt it was time for a little mayhem."

The woman next to Hughes laughed. "You two sound horrible. Your mother must have had a hard time controlling you two. By the way, my name is Gracia. And this is Hughes and my daughter, Elysia."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Edward and this is Alphonse." Edward said, motioning to Al, who gave a big grin and waved at her.

"Mustang is going to kill you guys for causing him all this trouble." Hughes replied, smiling. "I, on the other hand, think it's hilarious that the military can't keep track of two kids."

Alphonse and Edward grinned evilly. "We thought the same thing." Al said.

"Who would have thought the military was so pathetic that it can't catch two kids." Edward added.

Hughes grinned evilly at them in return. "You guys do know I am part of the military and that it is my job to take you back."

The two alchemists frowned and looked at each other then back to Hughes, both grinning mischievously. "If you can catch us." Edward said and jumped off his swing with Al following his example.

The older alchemists clapped his hands and slammed them on the ground, making a wall form between the brothers and Hughes and his family. Edward stood up and dusted his hands off. "So Al, where do you want to go now?"

"Dinner?" Al questioned.

Edward smiled. "Sure, Al."

As the brothers were walking to a restaurant to eat at, at Central Headquarters, Colonel Mustang was just informed about what the boys just did.

"I'm going to kill them." Mustang growled as he walked through the halls Central Headquarters. "Someone please tell me how two kids are able to escape the military and not be caught."

"Simple. They are really skilled alchemists. And they are kids with a lot of energy and are smart. With all that, it is easy for kids to escape officers, especially since the officers can't shoot the kids cause they are just kids and they have done nothing wrong." Hughes replied calmly and with a big smile.

Mustang glared at Hughes. "It was a rhetorical question, Maes."

Hughes shrugged. "I saw them in the park earlier when I was with my wife and daughter. We talked for a few minutes then they ran off. I think I heard them say something about getting dinner."

"Do you know where they would go to eat?" Mustang asked annoyed.

Hughes shrugged. "Not a clue."

Mustang stared at him with narrowed eyes. "I thought you were one of the best in the investigation department, but I think I'm going to have to rethink that theory."

Childishly, Hughes stuck his tongue out at Roy. "I'm not perfect."

*B*R*E*A*K*

"Brother, are you sure I can't be a state alchemist. It isn't fair that you're the only one who has to be one. I know how much you hate the military, especially after everything Granny Pinako and Master said about it." Al said as the boys ate their dinner. They sat in a booth, next to a window in the restaurant they were at.

Ed looked up from his dinner. He glanced out the window and frowned. "Al, the military is dangerous. Only one of us should have to deal with it and that is only if I get in. I don't even understand why the Fuhrer wants a kid in the military. Seems kind of stupid to me."

"Brother?" Al asked confused.

Ed looked back at his brother with a small smile. "I won't let that bastard Fuhrer take both of our childhoods away."

"Then let me join and not you." Al protested. He would do anything for his brother and he knew in return, his brother would do anything for him.

Ed shook his head. "No, Al. I gave up my childhood already." He looked at his automail arm so his brother could understand what he meant. "You haven't lost yours yet and you won't until you are an adult. I'll join alone and that is final."

"But brother….." Al started.

"Stop, Al." Edward hissed. "If only one of us becomes a state alchemist, then we won't be separated. I already explained this." He looked back out the window with a thoughtful look.

Al looked at his brother confused. "What are you thinking about?"

"We'll need money eventually and if I become a state alchemist, I could get that money. It could be helpful. And maybe while I'm on missions if I become one, I can try to get information on that bastard and maybe find him." Edward explained.

Al raised a brow. "So you're saying it might be a good thing to join?"

Ed nodded his head. "It might be."

"But what about all the cons of joining?" Al argued.

Ed rubbed his forehead. "That's the problem. I could be sent to war if it broke out. I'll have to go on missions all the time and follow orders. If ordered to kill, I'll have to. Master will be pissed if she finds out that I joined."

"Then let's leave." Al pleaded.

Ed shook his head. "We have to think rationally, Al. Running is dangerous, especially since it is the Fuhrer we would be running from. It would be incredibly stupid to run now."

Al sighed. "We should have stayed in Resembool at least one more day than we would have missed that train being hijacked."

Ed rested his head in his flesh hand and tapped his metal fingers on the table. "But then who knows what might have happened? Think about what might have happened on that train if we weren't there. The military wasn't prepared for that hijacking. It was lucky we were there. We left to help people and find that bastard."

Sighing, Al looked out the window and smiled. He waved at the person on the other side of the glass.

Seeing the wave in the corner of his eye, Ed lifted his head to see who his brother was waving at. He saw Hughes standing on the other side of the glass with a big grin in place. Ed raised a brow and turned back to his dinner. "I wonder if he found us by luck or if he knew we were here."

Al shrugged and took a bite of his dinner as Hughes left the window. He reappeared a few seconds later sitting next to Edward.

"Hi Mr. Hughes." Al greeted while his brother grunted in greeting.

"Hello Alphonse, Edward." Hughes put a hand on Ed's shoulder. "You shouldn't eat so fast or you'll choke."

Ed paused in his eating and looked at Hughes. He remembered his mother telling him the same thing a lot of times. "What are you doing here?" He asked before going back to his dinner.

"Well, you've had military officers chasing you all over the place today and they are getting tired. Don't you think it's time to end the game?" Hughes asked nicely. "Oh, and the Fuhrer wants to talk with you."

Ed nodded his head. "I need to talk with him anyway. We can go when we're finished here."

Al's eyes darkened and he started to gloomily push his food around on his plate. If Hughes noticed the mood change, he didn't say anything.

"Doesn't the military have better things to do than keep an eye on two kids?" Al asked.

"Not at the moment. It's been rather peaceful here in Central." Hughes replied. He folded his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. "And besides, I think it's fun to chase you around, though, others are beginning to get ignored with it so only my team and Roy's team are chasing you now."

Ed smirked. "Glad to know I can annoy them."

"Little trouble maker." Hughes laughed.

"DON'T CALL ME LITTLE!" Ed screamed, pushing Hughes out of his seat.

Hughes rubbed his face and sat back down. "No need to push me."

"I'm sorry about my brother, Mr. Hughes." Al sent a disproving glare at his brother, who, with practiced eased, ignored it.

*B*R*E*A*K*

"Did you two enjoy your day of driving my men insane?" Fuhrer King Bradley asked when Edward and Alphonse were in his office.

Ed smirked. "It was really fun. Maybe now you'll won't confine us again or give us guards to make sure we won't run. They were annoying."

The Fuhrer raised a brow. "What do you want me to do? I think you two will continue to cause trouble."

"We're kids. That's what we do." Edward retorted, before frowning. "Now onto business. I didn't come here to talk about that."

The Fuhrer clasped his hands behind his back. "Correct. We are here to discuss the State Alchemist Exam."

Edward nodded his head. "I'll take the test, but I don't want my brother in the military. I'm the older brother. It's my job to take care of him. And if I pass, I want Al to be allowed to go on my missions with me. I won't stay away from my brother."

The Fuhrer laughed. "Trying to make deals with the Fuhrer? I like your spunk." He stopped talking and stared out his window as he thought.

Ed and Al shared a look behind his back.

"I believe I can allow this. But your brother will not be allowed on all the missions you are sent on. There will be some that civilians won't be allowed on." The Fuhrer replied.

Ed frowned. "We're talking as if I already passed the test." He turned to Al to see his brother frowning and staring at his shoes. "If that is all, can we leave?"

"Go ahead." The Fuhrer replied.

Ed grabbed his brother's arm and pulled him out of the office. "Al, don't worry. I know what I'm doing. You don't have to feel guilty about not taking the test. This is my choice."

"And I'll be there to help you on some missions, right?" Al asked.

Ed nodded his head. "Nothing will separate us."

Al smiled. "Do you think we should call Winry and tell her what is going on?"

Ed paled and glared at his brother. "No way. She will kill us if she knew what was going on, especially since we haven't been here that long."

Al chuckled. "She'll kill you with her wrench."

Ed swatted his brother. "Let's go back to the hotel."

A/N: Please Review!


	6. Chapter 6: The State Alchemist Exam

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"When I pointed the spear at the president, you didn't react at all, you just sat there. It doesn't seem like you are a very loyal subordinate."- Edward Elric

"Unbelievable."- Roy Mustang

"Colonel, you should at least take a pose in such circumstances."- Riza Hawkeye

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 6: The State Alchemist Exam

The next day Edward and Alphonse woke up and decided to go visit Hughes's wife and daughter. They talked with Gracia and played with Elysia. Hughes was at work at Central Command so he didn't know they were there.

"What are you two going to do now?" Gracia asked. "What are your plans?"

Edward sat on the couch with Gracia, while Al was on the floor playing with Elysia. "We're going to hang around Central for a little while. There is some business here that we need to take care of. After we finish this, I don't know what we will do. Our plans are changing because of some unforeseen events." Edward replied.

Gracia smiled kindly at him. "Let me guess. The military?"

Both boys looked at her shocked. "How'd you know?" Al asked.

"You've been running and sneaking away from the military since you got here. It is easy to figure out." Gracia replied as she laughed. "So the military is causing you two trouble? It's not a surprise. The military causes a lot of people problems."

"Yeah. The military is horrible. It's just a bunch of corrupt officers trying to take control of everything." Edward growled.

Gracia frowned. "That's not true. Not everyone in the military is like that. A lot of them joined to be able to protect their country and they have families who they want to protect, like Maes. Do you think he is a bad person?"

The older brother sighed and fidgeted in his seat. "No. Hughes is good guy. I like him. I guess he isn't bad."

"They are others like him in the military, who want to protect their country and the people. Everyone just looks at the military as a whole and say they are all corrupt and evil. But if you look at the individuals in the military, you will see that not all of them are like that. Not all of them want power and money." Gracia explained.

Edward rubbed his head. "I guess."

Gracia smiled at him. "I'll go make lunch. Can you two watch Elysia for me while I make it?"

"Sure." Ed replied.

Al looked up at his older brother and smiled. "Brother, after lunch can we go to the library?"

"Why?" Edward asked.

"I want to get a book to read. I need something to do while you are preparing for your test." Al explained.

After playing with Elysia and eating lunch, the Elric brothers left the Hughes's house and headed for the library. It was a twenty minute walk to library, but the boys didn't mind. It was such a nice, warm day outside. The boys brought some ice cream while on their way to the library. Even if it had milk in it, Edward loved ice cream. It was just like when he ate stew, even with milk it was good.

"Hey brother?" Al asked as they reached library.

Edward stopped licking his cone to look at his brother. "Yeah Al?"

"What do you think Master will say if you do become a state alchemist?" Al asked.

Edward stopped walking and his eyes filled with dread. "She's going to kill me, Al. She's going to kill me. We must never meet her. She will kill me."

Al laughed nervously at his brother and went back to walking. "Come on.

In the library, while Al was looking for a book, Ed was walking around and looking at the people in there. They didn't look like anything special, just normal people. The only one that caught his eye was a woman in a military uniform. She was a mousy brown haired girl with glasses and dark eyes. She was sitting at a table piled with books.

"Got enough books?" Ed asked amused.

The woman looked up and smiled shyly. "I don't think so."

"Do you like reading that much?" Ed asked.

"I absolutely love reading." She said.

Ed chuckled. "Where do you work in the military?"

"I work in the investigation department under Major Hughes." She explained.

"Then shouldn't you be at work?" Ed asked.

The woman screamed and jumped to her feet. "I totally forgot. Thanks for the reminder. I'm Sheska, by the way." She said hurriedly before leaving a befuddled Edward behind.

Ed blinked and stared at the table full of books.

"What's wrong, brother?" Al asked as he appeared by his brother's side.

Ed shook his head. "Nothing. Did you find any books?"

Al raised a brow. "What do you think I'm holding?"

Ed turned to look at his brother to see him holding three books. "Oh, well, go check them out so we can leave."

The next week and a half went by fast. Ed and Al didn't go back to the Central Headquarters or the library. In fact, they stayed in their hotel room the whole time, only leaving to go shopping. Ed spent his time going over Alchemical formulas and reviewing for his test while Al spent his free time reading or reviewing with his brother. The Fuhrer took the annoying guards away when Ed asked…or more like demanded they go away. He hated guards. He felt confined with them around. Al didn't say it, but they were bothering him too. Their master trained them in alchemy, hand-to-hand combat, and how to use weapons. They didn't need a babysitter.

On the day of the State Alchemist Exam, Edward left the hotel at eleven and went to Central Headquarters. Since Al wasn't taking the test he decided to stay at the hotel and wait for his brother to get back.

"Elric, what are you doing here?" Mustang asked when he saw Edward entered Central Headquarters. He was heading to the room where the alchemists were going to take the first part of the test when he saw the young alchemist.

Edward put his hands in his pockets and shrugged his shoulders. He was about to say he was here to take the State Alchemist Exam, but then he thought that Mustang would just laugh and say he couldn't possibly pass because he was a kid. "I'm here to see the Fuhrer. Where is he?" Edward asked.

"Elric, the Fuhrer is busy. He is going to begin the State Alchemist Exam in thirty minutes. Can this wait until later?" Mustang asked annoyed at Ed's attitude. Who did the kid think he was to come in here and demand to see the Fuhrer?

"No. So is he in the testing room?" Edward asked.

Mustang didn't reply but continued on his walk to the testing room. Edward frowned and followed him.

When they entered the testing room, Mustang walked over to the Fuhrer and saluted him. "Fuhrer, sir, Edward Elric is here to see you."

"So you came, Elric?" The Fuhrer said.

Edward crossed his arms. "I said I would come."

The Fuhrer laughed. "You didn't tell Colonel Mustang the real reason you came here, right?"

"I figured he would laugh and say I had no chance if I told him the truth. So I figured I'd just say I came to meet with you." Edward explained, a frown forming on his face.

"Sir?" Mustang said confused.

"Elric is here to take the State Alchemist Exam." The Fuhrer explained.

"Him?" Mustang questioned, pointing a finger at Ed. "Him? He's only twelve. There's no way he can pass. He may have been able to save a train, but there's no way he can pass the State Alchemist Exam."

Edward's eyes narrowed. "Oh yeah? We'll see about that. I will pass and become the new state alchemist." He had been planning on failing the exam on purpose so he didn't have to be a state alchemist, but Mustang was challenging his intelligence and Edward was not going to let him he think he was right.

Half an hour later, Edward was taking the first part of the State Alchemist Exam which was the written part. They got three hours to work on the written part.

It took Edward the whole three hours and he didn't even finish his test. He turned it in and left the testing room with the smirking bastard following him.

"Do you want something?" Edward snapped at him.

Mustang's smirk grew. "Test hard?"

"No." Ed snapped at him.

"Then why did it take you three hours?" Mustang asked.

Ed's eyes narrowed. "It's a long test and I was making my answers as precise as possible."

"So you didn't finish it?" Mustang asked. Edward crossed his arms and frowned. "I thought so. You better hope your answers are really good or you'll fail."

"Whatever." Edward muttered. "Can I eat here or are only military officers allowed to eat here?"

"You can if you want." Mustang answered with a shrug. "The test results will be in tomorrow. You will get a call tomorrow saying if you passed the first part. If you passed it you will be asked to come here tomorrow to take the next two parts of the exam, then the Fuhrer will decide who will become the next state alchemist. Only one or two alchemists pass each year. Your chance of passing is very slim."

Edward humph. "I'll pass. You'll see." He entered the mess hall, got food, and sat down at a table. Mustang sat down across from him, still with that smirk on his face. "Why do you keep bothering me?"

A hand landed on Ed's shoulder making him jump. "Hey Ed, why are you here?" Hughes asked, as he sat next to Ed. Havoc and Hawkeye sat down around the three as well.

Edward didn't even look at them. He was still glaring at Mustang. "What do you want? Can't you just leave me alone? I got better things to do then listen to you."

"I want to make bet." Mustang replied. "I bet you can't pass."

"You want to make a bet on this? Why?" Edward asked.

Havoc watched the two confused. "Our crew always makes bets about things. What are you betting he can't pass?"

"You are military officers and you waste your time and money on bets?" Edward questioned, raising a brow.

"We have to make fun somewhere. The military doesn't have any fun in it." Havoc replied. "And it's not always money we bet. We bet other stuff."

Edward leaned back in his chair. "Fine. This is stupid though. What is it you want if you win?"

Mustang leaned back in his chair and stared at Edward. "How about if I win, you tell me how you learned to do alchemy without a transmutation circle."

The young alchemist frowned. He couldn't tell Mustang how to do alchemy without a transmutation circle. To do that would mean he would have to reveal that he did Human Transmutation and saw the Gate, but if he disagreed to the bet then Mustang would know he did something bad. It was a lose-lose situation. By agreeing he would have to have complete confidence in his skills that he could pass the State Alchemist Exam, which he did, so the bet was no problem. "Okay, but if I win, you will leave me the hell alone forever."

"Deal." Mustang said and held his hand out for Edward to shake.

"What is it you betting on?" Havoc asked.

"Whether Edward passes the State Alchemist Exam or fails it." Hughes answered.

Edward turned to look at Hughes. "How did you know that?"

Hughes smiled. "Well, the first part of the State Alchemist Exam is today and you are an alchemist. I can't see any other reason why you would be here. You aren't part of the military so you have no reason to be here, but to take the exam."

Hawkeye frowned. "I got the feeling that you didn't like the military, Edward. Why would you come take the exam to become a state alchemist?"

Edward muttered something and got up from the table. He threw his food away and left the mess hall. When he was outside Central Headquarters, he ran back to the hotel.

"That kid is strange." Havoc said.

"Whenever he doesn't want to answer a question, he changes the subject or leaves." Hughes said. "I guess there is a reason he is trying to join the military, but he doesn't want to talk about."

Havoc shrugged his shoulders. "Sir, why do you want to know how to do alchemy without a transmutation circle?"

"I'm curious. Not many can do that. In fact I can't even name one person who I know who can do that, but a little kid appears out of nowhere and can do it. What are the chances? Not only that, his brother can't do it. Why? If his brother can, why can't the younger one too? Something is going on and I'm going to figure out what it is." Mustang said.

Hughes shrugged. "Curiosity killed the cat, just so you know."

Mustang smirked. "Yeah, but I'm a dog, not a cat."

The next day Edward got a phone call at one telling him he passed the first part of the exam. After he got off the phone, Edward told Al and left for Central Headquarters for the next part of the exam.

The next part of the exam was the interview part, which Edward passed easily. After the interview, there would be a practical exam.

Right now, Edward was sitting in the mess hall, staring out of a window waiting for the rest of the interviews to be finished. He was trying to think of an idea for his practical exam that would impress the Fuhrer and higher rank officers.

"So Elric, you finished two parts. Have any idea of what to do for the practical part?" Mustang asked.

Edward groaned. "Why do you always have to bother me? I can't wait until I pass so I never have to listen to you again." Edward saw Hawkeye entered the mess hall. "First Lieutenant, can you get him to leave me alone?"

Hawkeye smiled at Edward. "Sir, you have paperwork you could be doing during the free time you have. The practical exam isn't for another hour and a half."

"I can do it later." Mustang said.

Hawkeye pulled her gun out and clicked the safety off. "I suggest you start it now, sir."

"Yes ma'am." Mustang replied and left the mess hall.

"Thanks First Lieutenant." Edward said, grinning.

Hawkeye nodded her head and put her gun away. "Good luck with your last part of your exam." Hawkeye left the mess hall and went back to the Colonel's office to make sure Mustang was doing his work.

After sitting in the mess hall for an hour and twenty minutes, Edward went outside to the back of Central Headquarters to wait for the practical to begin. He groaned when he saw the Colonel was already outside waiting for the practical to begin.

Mustang smirked when he saw Edward. He didn't come speak to Ed as he was speaking with some other officers, but he was obviously thinking of ways to annoy the hell out of him.

"Who is that kid?" General Halcrow asked Mustang. "Why would a kid be here?"

"That is Edward Elric. He's the one who saved the train you were on. He's here to take the State Alchemist Exam." Mustang replied.

General Halcrow frowned. "Him? He's just a kid."

"I thought the same thing. But he insists on taking it and the Fuhrer is allowing it." Mustang replied.

For the next ten minutes, Edward stood glaring at Mustang's back. He couldn't stand that man. Every time he saw him, he wanted to punch him in the face.

When the practical began, Edward watched as the other alchemists, who made it this far, make big things trying to impress the judges. Most of them got tired out after making them and could barely move. Edward heard the officers talk about that and say that they wouldn't be good state alchemists if they tired themselves out.

"Elric, your turn." The Fuhrer said.

Edward frowned. _Elric? Why do they keep calling me that? My name is EDWARD! Is it so hard to just say my name?  
><em>

Edward walked forward and looked at the Fuhrer. "Do you need anything to draw with?" A man on his right asked.

_So only Mustang and his friends, or are they just comrades(?), know I can transmute without a circle. This will be fun. _Edward smirked. "No."

Ed clapped his hands and placed them on the ground. He stood up as he formed a spear, slowly bringing it up with him. He twirled the spear in his hand and looked at the Fuhrer in disinterest. Edward smirked and threw the spear at the Fuhrer. The spear zoomed past the Fuhrer's head and landed in the ground behind him.

Everyone stared in shock at Edward, some of the officers even pulled out their guns and pointed them at him, but he just stood there with a satisfied smirk and a hand resting on his hip.

"YOU DISRESPECTFUL FOOL! YOU'RE DISQUALIFIED!" The man on Ed's right yelled at him.

Edward looked at him and laughed. "You look funny when you are mad."

The man spluttered in rage at Ed.

Edward laughed and turned around. He began walking away to leave. He didn't care all that much that he got disqualified. He still hated the military very much. And as for his bet with Mustang? He would figure out later what to say to Mustang without telling the full truth.

The young alchemist stopped walking when he heard the Fuhrer talk. "Elric, you've got a lot of guts attacking me like that. But I'm guessing that your aim is really good. You aimed past my head because you didn't want to kill me."

"Yeah. My Master taught me well. She taught me how to use all types of weapons and how to use them so my aim is really good." Edward replied. "See ya."

Edward left the exam area and headed back to the hotel.

A/N: Please Review!


	7. Chapter 7: The Fullmetal Alchemist

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"There was once a hero who flew too close to the sun. His wings of wax fell apart and he plummeted to the Earth…."- Edward Elric

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 7: The Fullmetal Alchemist

"Al, I'm back!" Edward called when he entered his and Al's hotel room. He threw his keys onto the small table by the door and took his coat and jacket off, throwing them on the coat rack and kicked his boots off. "Did you make dinner?"

Al came out of the kitchen to see his brother. "Yeah. It will be done in a little while. How did the exam go?"

Edward chuckled. "Um…it was interesting. The second part was the interview which was easy enough to past. And the last part was the practical. I got um…..disqualified at the practical part. You should have soon the face of the guy who was yelling at me and saying I was disqualified. It was so funny."

The little brother sighed. "What did you do to get disqualified?"

"I may have made a spear and threw it at the Fuhrer's head. I aimed it over his head so it wouldn't hit him. The Fuhrer said that I had a lot of guts to throw it at him. He didn't seem to care that much. He is really strange. At least I don't have to become a dog of the military now." Edward replied.

"Is that all you care about? Do you have any idea of how much trouble you could get in for doing that?" Al scolded.

Edward laughed. "If I was going to get in trouble I wouldn't be here right now."

Al threw his hands into air. "I don't know how I'm going to live with a brother like you." Edward pouted at his brother. "But I love you the way you are. Life wouldn't be interesting if you weren't like this."

Ed grinned at his brother.

The next day, a loud knock at the door woke Edward and Al up. "Who the hell comes to visit someone unannounced at eight in the morning?" Edward grumbled as he got out of bed. His hair was out of its braid and was flowing freely. The only thing he was wearing was his boxers as he stomped to the door angrily. Al just sighed and went back to his room to get dressed when he saw his brother was going to answer the door.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?" Edward yelled as he opened the door. He paused when he saw who was on the other side of the door. Hawkeye, Havoc, Hughes, and Breda were standing there. They looked kind of shocked at the outburst.

"BROTHER, DON'T YELL AT THE GUESTS!" Al yelled out towards his brother from his room.

"Yeah. Yeah." Edward said nonchalantly. "So, First Lieutenant, what do you guys need?"

Hawkeye smiled. "Did we wake you up?"

"Yes." Edward grumbled.

Havoc pushed his cigarette to the side of his mouth so he could speak. "Why don't you go get dressed before we talk?"

Edward nodded his head. He looked at them with narrowed, annoyed eyes. "You guys can come inside, I guess." He moved to let them in. When they were all in he closed the door and went to his room, while the officers sat down in the living room.

As he was getting dressed in his room, Al entered the room dressed in navy blue shorts that reached his knees and a white muscle shirt with a red button shirt that he left unbuttoned. "Hey brother, who was at the door?"

"Military personal." Edward answered as he pulled his black pants on.

"What do they want?" Al asked.

Edward shrugged his shoulders. He pulled on a black tank top and his black jacket. "I don't know."

Al crossed his arms. "Maybe because you threw a spear at the Fuhrer's head yesterday."

"They can't take a prank." Edward said as he pulled his gloves on.

Al rolled his eyes at his brother. "That was a horrible prank. What do you want for breakfast?"

"Don't worry about that. It's my day to cook, Al." Edward replied.

"You'll be busy talking to the military personal. I'll make breakfast." Al answered. "So will eggs and bacon be fine?"

Ed sat on his bed and grabbed his brush and a hair tie. "Fine."

Al nodded his head and left his brother's room. He walked into the living room and saw the military personal sitting waiting for his brother.

Hawkeye looked at Al when he entered the room. "Good morning, Al."

"Morning First Lieutenant, Havoc, Hughes, Breda." Al greeted, then entered the kitchen to start making breakfast.

When Ed finished braiding his hair he left his bedroom and went to the living room. "Now, what do you guys need?"

"You threw a spear at the Fuhrer's head. What do you think we need?" Hawkeye asked.

Havoc grinned at Ed. "When the Colonel told us what you did he was laughing his ass off. I agree with him. It sounded hilarious. But I think you are in a lot of trouble with the Fuhrer. He was the one who asked us to come here and get you."

"See what you do, brother!" Al yelled out to his brother. "You're going to get into a lot of trouble now."

Edward grinned. "What's life without a little risk, little brother?"

"A good life." Al answered.

"More like a boring life." Edward replied.

Hawkeye shook her head. "Enough of this, Ed. We need to get back to Central Headquarters."

Al peeked his head out of the kitchen. "Oh no. He's not going anywhere until he eats breakfast."

"Yeah. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." Edward added. He went into the kitchen and sat at the table with his brother and started to eat breakfast.

Hawkeye sighed in annoyance.

Hughes looked towards Hawkeye. "He has a point you know."

Hawkeye pulled her gun out and shot at Hughes. "We don't have time for this. We were suppose to be back at headquarters by nine. And it's already eight thirty."

"First Lieutenant, no shooting inside our apartment. We don't want bullet holes all over the place." Edward yelled out at Hawkeye.

Hawkeye put her gun away. "Sorry Ed."

Havoc, Hughes, and Breda looked at her shocked. "Did you just apologize?" Havoc asked.

"Why are you so shocked by that?" Hawkeye asked calmly.

"You never apologize." Breda answered.

Hawkeye crossed her arms. "I've never had a reason to apologize."

"Yes, you have. You've just refused to apologize." Havoc argued.

Edward and Al came out of the kitchen and went down the hallway.

Hawkeye stood up and started pacing. "We're going to be late."

"I don't think Ed cares about being late. I think he wants to be late." Hughes replied. "He's a troublemaker. It's something he would do."

When Edward came back to the living room he put his boots and coat on then turned to the officers. "Okay, I'm ready to go."

The officers nodded their heads and left the apartment. Edward grabbed his keys off the small table by the door. "Hey Al, I'm leaving. I'll see ya later."

"Only if they don't decide to throw you in jail." Al replied as he came back into the living room.

Edward only laughed as he left.

At Central Headquarters, Edward followed the military officers to the Fuhrer's office. Along the way military officers gave him strange, angry or annoyed glances. "People here have no sense of humor." Edward growled.

"The Colonel does and so do I." Havoc said.

"Me too." Breda replied. "In fact everyone in Mustang's crew does, except maybe Hawkeye."

Hawkeye smirked and reached for her gun. "What was that, Breda?"

Breda started to sweat. "Nothing ma'am."

Edward laughed. "Hawkeye, I love you. You're just so great at torturing them."

Hawkeye smiled kindly at Edward. "Thank you, Edward."

"Evil." Havoc whispered to Breda and Hughes while pointing at Edward. They both nodded their heads in agreement.

When they got to the Fuhrer's office, the four officers were dismissed while Edward went into the Fuhrer's office. He was met with the sight of the Fuhrer, Colonel Mustang, General Grumman, General Halcrow, and a few other high ranking officers. The Fuhrer, Grumman, and Mustang were the only ones not glaring at Ed.

"Wow. You guys sure are stiff." Edward said.

"This is no joking matter, you….." One of the officers started.

The Fuhrer smiled. "Quiet. There was no harm done."

"But sir, he….." The officer started again.

The Fuhrer waved his hand in a dismissing manner at him. "Elric was just showing that he had guts. He would never kill the Fuhrer at a State Alchemist Exam in front of all those officers. He is smarter than that. Besides that he is twelve. I bet he's never killed before. How could he possible kill me?"

"You talk as if you know everything about me." Edward said.

"Right. Right. I don't know anything about you, just what I've seen you do the past few weeks and from the talks we had, and from what I read in the reports that Major Hughes gave me on you and your brother." The Fuhrer said.

Ed raised a brow. Report? What report?

"Now, Elric, I think we should ask you a few question." The Fuhrer said.

Edward blinked and looked at him confused. "Like what?"

"Would you ever kill the Fuhrer?" The Fuhrer asked.

_An interrogation? Ugh. This is going to take forever. _Edward thought angrily. "No, I have no reason to kill you." _Except that you are blackmailing me to join the military._

The Fuhrer put his hands behind his back. "If you did have a reason to kill the Fuhrer, would you do it in front of the military?"

"That has to be the stupidest thing a person could do." Edward answered immediately.

"You are known to take risks, Elric. You find it entertaining and makes life more interesting." Mustang replied. "How do we know you wouldn't do something like that?"

Edward crossed his arms. "By doing that I would get killed by the military. Why would I take the risk of killing the Fuhrer in front of the whole military when I have my little brother to think of? I can't die because I have to take care of my little brother. If I die then I would be leaving him alone. I can't do that. I'm the only family he has left."

"Last question, have you ever killed before? Being only twelve you probably never killed and can't kill. Kids don't kill. They can't kill. It's something kids can't do unless they are trained to kill." Mustang asked.

The young alchemist stared at Mustang with eyes full of pain. "Y-yes….I have." [1]

"You have?" Mustang asked, hiding his surprise.

"Just once." Edward said stiffly. "Now, if you didn't call me here about what happened yesterday then why am I here?"

The Fuhrer smirked. He reached into his desk and pulled out a piece of paper and a box. "These are yours."

Edward looked at him suspiciously but came forward and grabbed the paper and box. "Under the authority of Fuhrer Kind Bradley the name Fullmetal will be granted to Edward Elric. Sounds like a heavy name." Edward grabbed the box and took the lid off and saw the silver pocket watch. His eye started twitching as he realized just what happened. "How? You said I was disqualified. How did I become the state alchemist?"

"You're the one who took the exam, Fullmetal." Mustang said.

"Stupid alchemy. Stupid disease. Stupid terrorists. Stupid bastard." Edward mumbled as he sulked.

Mustang sweatdropped. "Fullmetal, what are you talking about?"

"Sir, I have to object to this." General Halcrow said. "He tried to kill you yesterday. You can't make him a state alchemist."

"It was a prank." The Fuhrer said. "Besides we need someone with his skills and intelligence in the military."

"Wait. I passed and became the new state alchemist." Edward jumped to his feet, interrupting the Fuhrer's conversation. "That means I won our bet, bastard. Now stop talking to me forever."

Mustang opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the Fuhrer. "What was this bet?"

"We made a bet on if he would pass the State Alchemist Exam and become the new state alchemist. If he won then I would not be allowed to talk to him ever again. I have to…how did you say it…..oh yeah….leave you the hell alone forever." Mustang said.

The Fuhrer smirked. "Well that's a problem. Colonel Mustang, you are Fullmetal's commanding officer."

Edward's eye started twitching. "NOOOO!" He screamed and banged his head on the desk. "Why me? No. No. No. First being forced into the military. Now the bastard as my commanding officer. What did I do to deserve this?"

Grumman felt his mouth twitch into a smile. Things in the military just got much interesting with a kid in the military.

Mustang smirked and grabbed the hood of Edward's read coat. "Yes sir." He saluted to the Fuhrer and dragged Edward out of the Fuhrer's office. He dragged the youngest state alchemist to his office where his crew and Hughes were.

"Uh…..sir?" Hawkeye said.

"Hmmm." Mustang replied.

Hughes pushed his glasses up on his face. "Why are you dragging Ed?"

Mustang looked at Ed. "He was in the Fuhrer's office whining about becoming the newest state alchemist so I thought I be nice and get him out of there before he embarrassed himself more."

"HIM!" Havoc yelled. "He threw a spear at the Fuhrer's head and he's only twelve and he becomes the new state alchemist?"

"Yes. Major Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist." Mustang said. "Show some respect. He is your superior now. He is joining our crew."

Edward sighed and yanked Mustang's hand off of his hood. "Guess neither of us won the bet."

"Seems that way." Mustang replied. "It's time for formal introductions."

"I already know everyone in here." Edward replied.

Mustang glanced at him. "I know, but it's formal introductions. You need to know their ranks." Mustang turned fully to Ed. "Colonel Roy Mustang. I'm not saluting you because I'm you superior."

All the other officers stood up and saluted.

"Major Maes Hughes."

"First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye."

"Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc."

"Second Lieutenant Heymans Breda."

"Warrant Officer Vato Falman."

"Sergeant Major Kain Fuery."

"Okay." Edward looked at Mustang. "Why are they saluting?"

Mustang sighed. "Do you know anything about the military?"

"No." Edward replied.

"They are saluting because when you see a superior or are being dismissed by a superior, you salute. You are their superior, except Hughes. You and him are equals right now." Mustang explained. "In a situation like this to get them to stop saluting just say at ease."

Edward shrugged his shoulders. "I don't care about rank, but if that's how it is in the military. At ease."

The officers stopped saluting and went back to work.

"Can I leave now? I want to go back to my hotel." Edward said.

"Fine. Dismissed." Mustang replied. Edward smiled and turned towards the door. "Fullmetal."

Edward sighed. "What? You said I could leave."

"What did I just say? When being dismissed by a superior or seeing a superior, you salute." Mustang said.

Edward smirked. "I know what you said, but I just said I don't care about rank. See ya."

Mustang's eye twitched as he watched Ed leave. "I hate that kid. How did I get stuck with him?"

*F*M*A*

"AL, I'M BACK!" Edward yelled.

"Oh, so they let you go?" Al questioned, honestly quite shocked to see his brother.

Edward sat on the couch. "I'm the newest state alchemist. The Fuhrer gave me the name Fullmetal Alchemist."

"We should have known. The Fuhrer makes the final decision for the newest state alchemist and he wanted you in the military. We should have known this would happen." Al said as he sat next to his brother.

"There's more. That bastard, Mustang, is my commanding officer." Edward growled.

Al laughed, earning a glare from Edward. "Well, it seems that life just got a lot more interesting."

A/N: [1] My story. I know he had never killed, but my story, my rules. This is another universe type of story. I'm trying to keep it like the manga as much as possible but I will change some things. Like this. It will be explained later.

Please Review!


	8. Chapter 8: Human Transmutation

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"We went to your house! We saw the floor! What was that? What did you do?"- Roy Mustang

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 8: Human Transmutation

Edward sat in the mess hall at Central Headquarters bored out of his mind. The Colonel had called him here to give him his first mission, but Edward decided he didn't want to come when he was suppose to so he was late. And when he did arrive he couldn't see the Colonel because he was in a meeting. So now Edward was stuck waiting for the Colonel to get free. It was taking so long that Ed decided to go get lunch with his comrades.

Hawkeye looked at Ed and smiled. "It's your fault for being late that you are stuck here."

The youngest state alchemist ever slammed his head onto the table and sighed. "I know." He started coughing so he stopped talking.

"Are you okay, sir?" Hawkeye asked.

Ed waved his hand at her. "Yeah. Just not use to the smoke."

Hawkeye's eyes narrowed and she grabbed her gun. She clicked the safety off of it and pointed it at Havoc. "No smoking in Major Elric's presence. I don't need you giving him cancer from second hand smoking."

Havoc laughed nervously and put his cigarette out. "Yes ma'am. No smoking when Major Elric is around."

Laughing, Edward continued to eat his lunch. "Thanks, First Lieutenant."

As Hawkeye was nodding her head, Hughes came up to them. "Where is Roy?"

"He's in a meeting." Hawkeye answered. "Why?"

"There's been a murder." Hughes answered.

Edward looked up at him. "Murder? This is the military. Isn't it the police's job to solve murders?"

Hughes pushed his glasses up. "Normally the police would work on a murder case, but in this case they can't. The person who was killed was killed using alchemy. The military was asked to work on this case because alchemists are needed to solve the case. My team and Mustang's team are to work on this case together." [1]

"Does that involve me? The bastard was suppose to be giving me another mission to work on." Edward said.

"He'll probably have you help us on this case before he gives you your mission." Hughes replied.

Edward sighed. "Wonderful."

"What is wonderful, Fullmetal?" Mustang asked when he heard Edward.

Edward narrowed his eyes and stabbed his food with a fork. "Speak of the devil."

"There was a murder, Roy. Our teams are to work together to solve it." Hughes explained.

Mustang nodded his head. "Let's go then. Fullmetal, you'll help us on this case then I'll give you your mission."

"Whatever." Edward said. He stood up and followed the older officers out to the cars that would take them to the crime scene.

After driving for twenty minutes, the military officers made it to the crime scene. Edward got out of the car he was in and stretched his arms as the older officers got out and went into the house where the murder happened. He followed them and hanged around in the kitchen while the officers went downstairs to the basement.

"I'm not an expert on this type of alchemy." Ed heard Mustang say.

"Nor am I." Armstrong said.

Edward sighed and leaned on the counter, looking out the window. _This is a waste of my time. Why do I have to be here? They don't need my help. _

"Fullmetal!" Mustang yelled out of the basement to Ed.

The young alchemist glanced down the stairs. "What?"

"Get down here." Mustang ordered.

Sighing, Edward pushed off of the counter and entered the basement. "Why? You don't nee….." Ed stopped talking when he saw the array and misshaped corpse in front of him. His eyes widened as he stared at the misshaped creature in front of him. Memories of his human transmutation flashed before his eyes as his breathing became heavy and he fell to the ground.

"Fullmetal!" Mustang said.

Hughes kneeled next to Ed and checked his pulse. "He's fainted."

"Pathetic." Mustang said.

Hawkeye glared at Mustang and pulled her gun out, pointing it at the Colonel's head. "He's not used to seeing this kind of thing. You can't blame him."

"I didn't faint when I saw this kind of thing for the first time." Mustang replied.

"He's twelve. You were older than him when you saw something like this for the first time." Hawkeye said.

Mustang crossed his arms. "Whatever."

Hawkeye's eyes narrowed. "If you make fun of him because of this I will shoot you, got it?"

Mustang gulped and nodded his head. "Yes ma'am."

Edward whimpered in his unconscious state. "Mom….I'm s-sorry. So sorry…D-don't hate me. M-mom! I'm s-sorry."

"Ed?" Hughes questioned. He looked at Mustang, who just shrugged his shoulders. "Ed, wake up."

After a few minutes of crying out for his mom, Edward woke up staring into Hughes worried eyes. "What?"

"Are you okay?" Hughes asked.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" Edward asked.

Hughes stood up and held his hand out for Edward, who took it and allowed Hughes to pull him up. "Well you passed out and started calling for your mom and saying you were sorry in you sleep." The major explained.

Edward bit his lip and looked away. "That was just a nightmare."

Hughes looked at him unconvinced, but shrugged his shoulders. "So do any of you know what this array is?"

Armstrong shook his head. "I've never seen an array like this."

"Neither have I." Mustang said. [2]

Edward sat on the stairs and stared off into space. He really didn't want to be here. This reminded him of his own human transmutation. A night he wanted to forget.

"What about you, Ed?" Hughes asked.

The young alchemist stared at Hughes with empty eyes. "Huh?" He said unintelligently.

"Do you know what this array is?" Hughes replied. Edward continued to stare blankly at him. The major sighed. "Ed, snap out of it." He slapped Ed's cheek a few times as he said this.

Edward growled in annoyance. "What?"

"Are you sure that you are okay?" Hughes asked.

"Of course I'm fine." Edward snapped. "What do you want?"

Hughes stepped away from the boy. "Sheesh! I was just asking. I want to know if you know what this array is."

Edward rested his head in his upturned hands that were resting on his knees and closed his eyes. "No."

"You didn't even look." Hughes said.

"I saw it before I fainted." Edward replied.

Mustang turned away from the array to looked at Edward. "You're lying. You barely saw the array before you fainted. That means that you know what the array is and only needed a glance at it to know what it is. Why are you lying?"

Edward opened his eyes and glared at Mustang. "I have my reasons."

"Forget your reasons and tell us what the array is so we can finish up here." Mustang growled.

The young alchemist stared at Mustang for a few minutes with an unreadable look on his face. He put his head in his hands and gave a muffled reply. "The array is for human transmutation. The alchemist who broke into this house was attempting human transmutation to bring someone back to life. And this is the result of his transmutation. Obviously he didn't succeed. Then again, human transmutation never succeeds. From the looks of it, I'd say the alchemist attempted the transmutation about a week or more ago."

"How do you know this?" Mustang asked. "Human transmutation is illegal. Why would you know about it?"

"I read about it." Edward replied. It wasn't a lie. He did read about it, but he knew most of this from attempting it himself.

"And?" Mustang said.

Edward rolled his eyes. "No and. That's it."

Mustang's eyes narrowed. "You're hiding something, Fullmetal. And I will find out what it is."

"Sounds like a challenge." Edward said as he stood up. "I'm leaving. There's nothing else for me to do here. The array is safe. You can get that thing out of the circle if you want. But there's nothing to solve here. There was no murder. You just have to find the alchemist who did this." The young alchemist climbed the stairs and left the house, walking back to his apartment.

"Al, I'm back." Edward said when he entered his apartment.

Al looked up from the book he was reading. "That took a long time. Did you get your mission?"

Ed took his coat, jacket, and boots off and sat down on the couch next to his brother with a sigh. He rolled his shoulders to loosen them up. "No. I had to go with Mustang, his team, Hughes and his team to a house to investigate what they thought was a murder."

"Thought? What was it?" Al asked confused.

"An alchemist attempted human transmutation." Edward answered.

Al turned to face his brother. "Are you okay? That must have been horrible for you to see again. Did the officers figure anything out about you trying it?"

"I'm fine, Al. And they don't know that I tried it before but Mustang is suspicious and said he was going to figure out what I am hiding." Edward explained. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I just had to get stuck with that bastard as my commanding officer. He just loves to make everything harder for me."

"Don't worry brother. I'll always be here to help you and cover for you with Mustang. We'll make sure no one finds out that you did human transmutation." Al replied.

Edward smiled at his brother. "Thanks, Al."

The phone started ringing, ending their conversation.

Edward groaned. "If that's for me tell them I'm not here."

Al smiled and went to get the phone. "Hello."

"No, he isn't here….Okay. I'll tell him you called when he gets back. Bye." Al hanged the phone up and sat back down next to his brother. "That was the Colonel. He wants you to call him back when you get in."

"I just have to make sure I never get in." Edward replied.

Al laughed. "You can't stay away from him forever."

Edward groaned and pushed his brother off the couch to lay down. "Thanks for making my mood worse. I'll go see him tomorrow, happy?" Al nodded his head. "Good. Now I'm going to take a nap. Wake me when dinner is ready."

"Okay brother." Al replied.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Al stuck his head out of the kitchen a few hours later when he heard someone knocking at the door. He looked towards his brother to see him moan in his sleep and turn over. Not wanting to disturb his brother, Al went and opened the door to see Mustang, Hughes, Havoc, and Hawkeye. "Why do you people keep coming here? I told you that brother would call you when he got in." Al said with a sigh.

"Your brother has to be back by now." Hughes said. He looked in the doorway and saw the lump on the couch that was Edward.

Sighing again, Al stepped away from the door to let the officers inside and went to the couch. "Brother, wake up. Brother!"

Edward groaned and opened one eye to look at his brother. "What? Is dinner ready?"

"No. Mustang, Hawkeye, Havoc and Hughes are here." Al said.

"I'm not here." Edward replied and turned face down in the couch to go back to sleep.

"We can see that you are here, Fullmetal." Mustang said. "Get up and get your shoes on. We're going to Headquarters."

The young alchemist groaned and turned to look at Mustang. "You sound mad."

Mustang glared at Ed. "Not mad. Pissed off. Now get up."

"Why do I have to go to Headquarters?" Edward asked.

"Up now, Fullmetal. I won't tell you again." Mustang growled.

Edward growled and went to put his boots, jacket, and coat on. "Happy?"

Mustang grabbed Ed's arm and dragged him out of the apartment. "I take it you aren't happy." Edward said.

"Sorry about this, Al. Hopefully your brother will be back tonight. If he isn't coming back I'll call you." Hawkeye said.

Al looked at her worriedly. "What's going on? Is my brother in trouble?"

"Good-bye, Al." Hawkeye replied and left the apartment with Hughes.

"First Lieutenant!" Al said annoyed and ran into the hallway to look at the retreating backs of the three officers and his brother.

After being pushed into the car, Edward crossed his arms and glared out the window. "What the hell are you so mad about?"

Mustang looked at Ed from the rearview mirror, but didn't reply.

After being driven for ten minutes Edward realized something. "This isn't the direction to Headquarters. Where are we going?"

None of the officers answered him, causing the young alchemist to get a little nervous but he hid it behind an angry scowl.

About a half an hour later, Havoc pulled into the driveway of a nice house that looked like a rich guy lived here. It was a two story building with what look like five bedrooms. There was a flower garden in the front on the left side of the house door. The door was a tan color with one step in front of it with a stone path leading from the step to the driveway. The house was light blue with a chimney coming out of the roof.

The four adults got out of the car and walked up the stone path. Edward, seeing as he didn't have a choice, got out of the car and followed them. "Where are we?" The young alchemist growled, still annoyed about being dragged out of his apartment again.

Mustang pulled a key out and unlocked the door. "My house."

"Why are we here?" Edward asked as he crossed his arms and glared at Mustang's back. Of all the places he didn't want to be, Mustang's house was on the very top of the list with military headquarters. He hated Mustang and now he was being dragged to his house. He's only just joined the military yesterday and he was already at his commanding officer's house for whatever reason.

"It's more private here. If we talked at Central Headquarters someone might hear us." Mustang answered as pushed the young, stubborn alchemist into his house.

Edward planted his feet firming on the floor when he was inside and looked at Mustang. "Talk about what? I just saw you a few hours ago. What could we possibly have to talk about?"

"Human transmutation." Mustang answered as he closed his door.

The young alchemist sighed and rubbed his eyes. "This again? We already talked about this. I know about it because I read it from books. There done. Can I go now?"

Mustang grabbed Ed's arm and dragged him to the living room. "No. There is more to it than that."

The living room had a couch sitting across from the fireplace, a love seat sitting adjacent to the couch, and a recliner. In between the couch and fireplace was a coffee table that was sitting on a red rug. Around the room were pictures of Mustang, his crew, and some looked like family pictures.

Hughes and Hawkeye were sitting on the couches already and Havoc was with them. Rolling his eyes, Edward sighed. "Why are they here?"

"I trust them. They'll keep it a secret." Mustang replied.

Edward wrenched his arm free. "You may trust them, but I don't trust you or any of them. Besides it none of your business."

"I am your commanding officer. Whatever you do is my business. I need to know about your life so I know if it will affect your work or not. You fainted when you saw that creature and array in the basement. I don't think it was because it was your first time seeing that type of thing. I think it's because it brought up a bad memory. I need to know what that memory is to know if it will affect your performance at work." Mustang replied.

The young alchemist crossed his arms stubbornly.

Mustang sighed and turned to Hughes. "It's a teenage thing, isn't it?"

Hughes smiled. "Teenage rebellion. They don't listen to adults. They don't talk to adults when they need to. They are as stubborn as mules."

"Then how do we get him to tell us what we want to know?" Mustang asked.

Hughes shrugged his shoulders. "I've never dealt with a teenager before."

Edward rolled his eyes and sat on the ground in front of the fireplace. He stared at the flames in the fireplace, memorized by them, waiting for the two officers to stop talking about him as he if he wasn't there. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Hawkeye sit next to him.

"Major Elric?" Hawkeye said.

"First Lieutenant." Ed retorted.

"Fullmetal." Mustang said from behind the young golden haired alchemist.

Edward groaned. "What?"

"Are you going to tell us why you fainted?" Mustang said.

"What do you think?" Edward snapped at him.

"I think you're being a stubborn shorty." Mustang replied.

Edward glared at him. "DON'T CALL ME SHORT!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, making all the officers grab their ears in pain.

Mustang glared at Ed. "Could you be any louder?"

"Sure I can." Ed snapped.

A game of questions started up. Each time Mustang asked a question, Edward would reply with another question. He wasn't going to tell these officers anything.

After half an hour of this, Mustang was ready to put the kid on fire. "This is getting us nowhere."

"Exactly." Edward replied and stood up. "Where is your bathroom?" Mustang looked at him suspiciously. "What? Can't you trust your subordinate?"

"You do have a great skill at escaping military officers." Havoc replied.

"Where am I going to go? I've never been in this part of the city before. I'd just get lost." Edward said.

Mustang pointed down the hall. "Down the hall, second door on you left."

Edward nodded his head and went into the hallway, a smirk forming on his lips. It was true that he had never been in this part of the city, but as soon as he realized they weren't going to headquarters he memorized the route they took to get here. He just had to use the route going backwards to get back to his apartment.

When he was in the bathroom, Edward locked the bathroom door and looked around the bathroom. He found a window and smirked. He was getting the hell away from Mustang.

Edward turned the sink on to make it sound like he was washing his hand, then he opened the window and climbed out of it. He jumped to ground and crawled under the windows so he wouldn't be seen by the officers. When he was past the windows he moved to the driveway and onto the other side of the car. He crawled to the end of the driveway then stood up and ran down the sidewalk away from Mustang and his loyal comrades.

After twenty minutes of waiting for Ed, Mustang began to get impatient. "Where the hell is that kid?" He said as he stomped down to the bathroom. He started pounded on the bathroom door. "FULLMETAL, OPEN THIS DOOR! FULLMETAL!"

There was no reply from the other side of the door.

Havoc came down the hallway with his hands resting in his pockets. "Allow me, boss." He knelt in front of the door and picked the lock.

When the door opened, Mustang's eye started twitching. The window was opened and the sink was still running, but that's not what was making Mustang's eye twitch. On his big mirror written in stuff from his medicine cabinet was 'Suck that, bastard. Can't keep the Fullmetal trapped.'

"That brat is mocking me." Mustang growled. "I'll teach him."

_That kid has no idea what he has just gotten himself into. _Havoc thought as he backed away from the angry Mustang. One of the first lessons you learn when working for Mustang, stay away from a pissed off Mustang. If you didn't, then you would get burned.

"What happened?" Hughes asked when Havoc came back to the living room.

"The kid snuck away and Mustang is pissed off." Havoc answered. "I have a feeling we are going to get dragged into a hunt for him."

Mustang stalked back into the living room. "We're going to find that brat then I'm going to set him on fire a million times."

Edward growled annoyed. He left Mustang's house about half an hour ago and it was beginning to get dark, then it started raining making his automail ports hurt a lot.

After walking for another ten minutes, Edward was almost back to his apartment when a man stepped in front of him. The man had short black hair and blue eyes. He looked to be well built with a lot of muscle. He was dressed in casual clothes. Edward could see the silver chain coming from his pocket connecting to his belt and a gun in a holster under his jacket.

"What do you want?" Edward growled. He wasn't in the mood to socialize.

"Is that a state alchemist pocket watch?" The man asked.

"Yeah, why?" Edward asked.

"I was away during the State Alchemist Exam so I didn't know who became the new state alchemist." The man said. "I am Lieutenant Colonel Han Jackson, The Blood Red Alchemist." [3]

Edward nodded his head. "Major Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist."

Han looked around. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the hotel." Edward replied annoyed and walked past the older state alchemist. He barely got two steps away when he felt the barrel of a gun on his necks. "What are you doing, Jackson?"

The state alchemist didn't reply. Instead he hit Edward in the back of his neck with the hilt of his gun, knocking the young alchemist out.

A/N: I could continued this chapter, but this seems like a great place to leave it. And I was beginning to relax to and enjoy writing this chapter. Guess I'll just continue onto the next chapter.

[1] Hughes team is Major Armstrong, Second Lieutenant Maria Ross, Sergeant Denny Brosh, Sheska, and probably a few other unnamed officers. Since this is another universe Sheska is already on Hughes team. She only works at the desk so she isn't at the crime scene. This might not by Hughes team, but I like these characters and they are always seen together so I chose them.

[2] I know Mustang was thinking about doing human transmutation in the 2003 anime. I'm not sure if he considers it in brotherhood or the manga. Anyway in this story, he did consider doing it but never saw the array for human transmutation.

[3] One thing I hate is out of characters. This alchemist is not a character to be concerned about. I just made him up for the story to move on even though I have no idea where this story is going yet. Don't be concerned with him.

Please Review!


	9. Chapter 9: Revolutionary Alchemists

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Thanks for the reviews!

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"We became absorbed in the science that made you feel like you were magic."- Alphonse Elric

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 9: Revolutionary Alchemists

Pounding on the door, brought Al out of his book. He looked at the clock and saw that it was about ten at night. _Who would be here at this time? _The young boy stood up, put his book on the couch, and went to the door.

On the other side of the door was a pissed off looking Mustang. "Hello Colonel. What are you doing here and where is my brother?"

"I thought your brother would be here by now." Mustang said annoyed.

Fear began to appear on Al's face. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"Your brother snuck away from my house and I thought he would come running back here since this is where he is staying. It's been about an hour. He should have been back by now." Mustang explained to the young boy.

Al's eyes widened. "You don't think something could have happened to my brother, do you?"

Mustang turned around. "Don't worry. I'll find your brother."

"Let me help." Al said determinedly.

Mustang looked at Al for a few minutes as if examining him. "No. It's getting late. I don't need you running around at nighttime to. Get some sleep. If we don't find him tonight, you can help us search tomorrow."

Al nodded his head.

Mustang went back outside to meet his comrades. "Fullmetal's not here. Something must have happened."

"Great. How do we find him?" Havoc said sarcastically.

"Let's go to Headquarters." Mustang replied. "And work from there."

When they got to Headquarters, they saw a lot of officers there, which was a surprise to them since it was evening and all the officers would normally be at home by now.

Mustang, Hawkeye, Havoc and Hughes went inside and were met by the Fuhrer. "Sir, what is going on?" Mustang asked, as he and the other officers saluted the Fuhrer.

"Han Jackson, The Blood Red Alchemist, is back. He entered Central about a little more than a week ago." The Fuhrer said.

"That traitor?" Hughes asked.

The Fuhrer nodded his head. "Yes. We must capture him at all costs. He is challenging us. He called here saying that he was in Central and that we have two days to capture him or he will destroy Central."

"So we just got to find him?" Mustang summarized.

"Yes." The Fuhrer said.

Mustang nodded his head. "Sir, we also need to find Fullmetal. We sort of lost him a little while ago. I know he is missing because even his brother doesn't know where he is. From what I learned of the brothers they would never disappear and not tell the other what is going on."

The Fuhrer put a hand on his chin in thought. "That is trouble. Where have you searched so far for him?"

"We have just gone to his hotel room and he wasn't there, so we decided to come here." Mustang replied.

"Does Fullmetal know about The Blood Red Alchemist?" The Fuhrer asked.

Mustang shook his head. "I've not had the time to inform Fullmetal of the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment So he doesn't know about the state alchemist traitor."

"I will alert the officers that they also have to find Fullmetal." The Fuhrer replied. "Most of the officers have not met Fullmetal yet so ask Major Armstrong to make a sketch of what he looks like so the officers know who to look for."

Hughes saluted. "Yes sir." He left to go find Armstrong.

Edward groaned as he began to wake up. His neck still hurt from getting hit by that gun. He went to rub his neck when he found that he couldn't move his hands. They were chained to the wall. He tried to pull his metal arm free but his arm couldn't move. He looked at his automail arm to see that his arm was completely chained to the wall so he couldn't break the chain.

"So you're awake?" A voice asked.

Edward looked up to see a man in a military uniform. His long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and on his right arm was a metal gauntlet with an alchemy array on it. "Who are you?" Edward growled.

"I am Isaac McDougal, The Freezing Alchemist." Isaac answered. "And you are Edward Elric, the newest state alchemist."

Edward struggled against the chains. "Yeah. What do you want?"

"For you to leave the military." Isaac said. "The military is corrupt and you are just a kid. You have no reason to be in the military. The military is going down anyway. If you stay in the military you will be killed."

The young alchemist shook his head. "I can't. I can't quit."

"Why?" Isaac growled.

"The Fuhrer forced me to join the military. I can't get out of it." Edward snapped. "What is this place anyway?"

"This is the base of our group." Isaac replied, looking around the cell they were in. "The Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment."

Edward looked at the man confused. "Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment? What's that?"

Isaac raised a brow. "You are in the military. Have they told you nothing?" The Freezer crossed his arms annoyed and angrily and started to pace back and forth. "The Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment is a group of soldiers, civilians, ex-state alchemist, just normal state alchemist, basically anyone you can think of. We are working on taking down the corrupt military and turning it back into a democracy." Isaac looked at Ed. "How about you join us? Get your revenge on the military for the Fuhrer making you join the military."

"Chaining someone to a wall isn't a good way to ask them to join you." Edward replied.

"Maybe not, but we didn't want you doing anything rash before we could explain things to you." Han said as he came out of the shadows of the room. "If you promise not to do anything rash then we will unchain you."

Edward nodded his head. "Fine. I won't do anything stupid."

Han nodded his head and unchained Edward.

When he was free, Edward rubbed his flesh wrist. "I'm not joining you. I have enough things to deal with and I don't give a damn about the military. It isn't my problem. None of this has anything to do with me. You can destroy it and do what you want or you can just leave it be. Either way I don't care. I have other things to do."

Isaac shrugged his shoulders. "That's your choice. But just to be careful…" A fist came down on the back of Ed's neck, knocking him out again. "Can't have you finding out where our base is."

"I'll drop him off in an alley." Han said as he picked the unconscious alchemist up.

*F*M*A*

"That kid loves to cause so much trouble for me and he only just joined the military." Mustang growled as he stalked out of Central Headquarters a couple hours later.

"Don't blame me for your problems, bastard." Edward growled annoyed as he walked in the direction of the hotel he was staying at and was rubbing his neck.

Mustang and his comrades blinked in surprise. "Where the hell did you come from?" Mustang growled.

Edward stopped and looked at him with an emotionless face. "Resembool." He said with a completely straight face.

The Colonel's eye began to twitch and all the officers could practically see the steam coming from him. "That isn't what I meant." He grabbed Ed's coat and pulled him up into his face. "Where the hell did you go? You leave my house then disappear for a few hours. Do you have any idea how worried your brother is?"

Edward blinked. "Uh…uhm.….why didn't you tell me about the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment?" The young alchemist asked, deciding to ignore Mustang's questions.

"I haven't had the chance to tell you yet." Mustang replied then paused. "How did you hear about them? The knowledge of that group existing is only known by the military. No civilians know about it."

"Did you meet members of it, Ed?" Hughes asked, concern etched on his face.

Edward ripped Mustang's hands off of his coat. "I met Han and Isaac and they told me about it, well the basics of it and its goal."

"They did, did they?" Mustang asked. "That makes it easy for me. I don't have to explain it to you then. Do you know where they are?"

"No." Edward replied and started walking again. "I'll see you tomorrow, Colonel Bastard."

When Ed got back to his hotel room, he found the lights still on and Al in his pajamas sleeping on the couch. Smiling, Edward moved to the couch and kneeled in front of his brother. "Al. Al, wake up." Ed said gently.

Al opened one eye to see his brother staring at him. His other eye flew open and he sat straight up. "BROTHER, YOU'RE BACK!" Al yelled happily and jumped off the couch to grab his brother in his arms. "I was so scared when Mustang came here and said he didn't know where you were."

Edward rubbed his brother's back gently. "I know, Al. I'm sorry. But I ran into a little trouble on my way back here. But it's all alright now. I'm back." Al nodded his head and held his brother's waist tighter. "Now let's get you to your bed."

Al shook his head. "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Alright, Al." Edward said. He picked his brother up in his arms and took him to his room. He playfully threw Al onto his bed and started getting ready for bed. His little brother lay on the bed watching his brother the whole time.

When he was done, Edward climbed under his covers and Al climbed under with him. Al crawled up into his brother's chest and fell asleep hugging his brother.

*F*M*A*

A few miles underground a group was gathered in a big room that was lit with torches on the cement walls. Behind the group was a big, metal door. At the top of the room on a slightly raised platform was a desk with a man sitting behind it. Along the walls were a few doors that led to different rooms.

"Sir, there is a new state alchemist." The man told his leader.

The leader looked up from his desk to look at the group in front of him. He closed his book to give them his full attention. "Who is it?

"A twelve year old kid called Edward Elric. He is a state alchemist going by the name Fullmetal now." The man said.

"He's in the military?" The leader said shocked. "Why would the military have a twelve year old join?"

"I don't know, sir." The man said.

"We know."

The group in the room and the leader turned to Han. "Why is that, Han, Issac?" The leader asked.

"We spoke with him earlier. He told us that the Fuhrer forced him to join the military. So it's likely that the Fuhrer won't fire him or anything and he can't quit. So he's stuck in the military." Isaac explained.

"I didn't know the Fuhrer forced him to take the test." One of the men in the group said. "I wonder why he didn't force the little brother to take the test as well."

The leader sighed and sat back down. "I wasn't expecting this. Who is the kid's commanding officer?"

"Colonel Mustang."

The leader sighed in annoyance "He was in Ishval too." The man muttered. "Don't touch the kid. We have to see where his loyalties lie."

*F*M*A*

The next morning, Edward got up and made breakfast while his brother continued to sleep. Edward ate his breakfast then left a note and breakfast on the table for when Al woke up and got dressed. When he was done Edward left his apartment to head to Central Headquarters.

"Hi bastard." Edward greeted when he kicked open the Colonel's door. He drop down onto the Colonel's leather couch and looked at Mustang. "Do you have my mission for me?"

"I can't give it to you yet." Mustang said as he looked up at Ed. He saw the boy's eyebrow rise. "There has been a warning given by Han Jackson. He contacted the military yesterday and said we had two days to find him and the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment and stop them. If we don't find him then he will destroy Central."

Edward shook his head. "Destroying Central isn't their goal. It's destroying the military and making it back into a democracy. They seem to really hate the Fuhrer."

Mustang raised a brow. "They told you that was their goal."

The young alchemist nodded his head. "Yes."

"Then we better find them fast." Mustang said as he stood up. "Can't have them taking down the military."

Edward banged his head against the wall of the hotel room a few times. He and Al spent the whole day searching the city for anyone that was part of the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment and have come up with absolutely nothing. After searching all day they went to Central Headquarters to report to Mustang and found out that they found nothing to. They had until tomorrow night to find him. If they didn't then he would attack Central Command.

"Brother?" Al questioned.

"We won't find him in time." Ed replied. "I met them you know and I didn't even think about attacking them to capture them. They knocked me out two times so I wouldn't find out where their base was."

Al smiled at his brother. "It's not your fault. You didn't know this was going to become a mission of yours to capture them."

Edward rubbed his eyes tiredly. "I know."

The next day, Ed and Al ran all over the city looking for the traitors. "Damn it. We only have a few hours to find them."

"Brother, relax. Getting all worked like this will just make it harder to concentrate on finding them." Al said calmly.

Edward stopped and looked at his brother's bare hands. "Al, do you have your alchemy gloves?"

Al frowned and looked inside his pockets. "No. I think I forgot them at home. Why?"

"If we find them then we will probably have to fight. You'll need your gloves." Edward said.

Al turned to his brother. "I can go back to the apartment and get them while you continue to search."

The older brother shook his head. "Don't bother. It will take too much time and how will we meet after you get them. Here I'll go into here real quick. I'll be right back." Ed pointed to a store they stopped in front of.

After being in the store for a few minutes, Edward came back out with some red thread. He took his gloves off and placed them in his brother's hand then ripped two pieces of thread and placed them on the gloves. He clapped his hands and placed them on the gloves, making a new pair of gloves with alchemy arrays on them.

Al looked at his brother. "These are yours though. Don't you want to keep them so you can keep your automail covered?"

Ed shook his head. "You'll need them more then I will if we meet the traitors. Just don't forget your gloves next time, kay? Besides as long as we stay away from any soldiers it will be fine."

Al nodded his head.

The brothers started searching the city again and entered an alley after another hour and a half or searching. They stopped a few feet in the alley when they saw a man kneeling on the ground with a piece of chalk in his hand.

"Isaac!" Ed exclaimed as soon as he saw the man.

Isaac jumped to his feet and turned to face the alchemist brothers. "Edward Elric and I'm guessing this is Alphonse Elric."

"Took long enough to find you." Edward growled as he clapped his hands and changed his arm into a blade.

Isaac watched him shock. "No transmutation circles? Didn't know you could do that." Isaac smirked. "Well sorry, kiddies. I don't have time to play."

Edward's eye started twitching. "Kiddies? That's it!" He charged at Isaac and swung his blade at him. Isaac jumped away from him.

Al sighed. His brother was so reckless and charged in without thinking a lot. He ran after his brother and Isaac as they moved fighting down the alley. He clapped his hands and slammed them on the ground, forming spikes that went around his brother and towards Isaac.

Isaac jumped backwards to avoid the spikes. "You two are a perfect tag team, aren't you? You put so much trust in each other so you can fight so well together." Isaac grabbed a canteen from his belt. "But as I said, I don't have time to play. I have to finish setting up to destroy the military." He threw the water in the canteen on the ground and slammed his hands onto the water, causing steam to fill the alley.

"Damn it." Edward swore. The steam cleared and Isaac was gone. "We lost him."

"What now brother?" Al asked.

"Wait until tonight. He'll come back to attack Central Command. We attack him then." Edward said. He looked at the array on the ground. "Until then let's destroy this array. I don't get why he would draw an array in an alley. It seems pointless if his target is Central Command."

Al kneeled down and clapped his hands. He put them on the ground and caused the ground to break apart around in the array. "We just have to wait and see what he does tonight."

A/N: Please Review!


	10. Chapter 10: Fullmetal vs Freezer

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Thanks for reviewing!

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"You can call me Roy. Or just Lieutenant Colonel. Hell, you can call me the Flame Alchemist. Whatever you do, remember the pain."- Roy Mustang

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 10: Fullmetal vs. Freezer

When nighttime came, Edward and Alphonse were waiting by a fountain. They were waiting for the attack from Isaac or anyone from the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment if they were still going to attack. The brothers sat next to each other on a bench in front of the fountain.

Edward sighed and pulled his pocket watch out to check the time. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "It's getting late. He better attack. I don't want to have wasted our time by sitting outside on a bench all night."

Al leaned back on the bench. "Are you tired, brother?"

"I'm tired of sitting here doing absolutely nothing." Edward snapped. "I wish he would just make his move already."

Red light erupted around the boys and all throughout Central, causing both of the boys to jump to their feet in surprise. Al looked at his brother and would have laughed if the situation wasn't so grave. "Seems you got your wish, brother." Al said. "What do we do now?"

"Find Isaac and beat the shit out of him." Edward answered. "Hmmm. Where would he be?"

Al looked around and frowned. "Uh….brother?"

Edward turned towards his brother. "Yeah Al?"

"What is that?" Al asked as he pointed towards the huge icebergs that were moving towards the center of the huge red circle that surrounded the city.

Edward stared at the giant icebergs. "That's easy, Al. Those are giant icebergs that are moving towards Central Command to destroy it and probably kill any officers there." The young alchemist looked around. "I guess we should have expected this. He drew alchemy circles in all the alleys surrounding Central Command to make a giant array and from the looks of it I guess he got help to produce a reaction this big."

"What kind of help?" Al asked.

"Most likely a philosopher stone." Edward answered.

Al looked at his brother confused. "Philosopher stone? What's that?"

Edward shook his head. "I'll explain it to you later, Al. For now we have to find Isaac and destroy the transmutation circles."

"Or we could let him destroy Central Command and we can sneak away and you won't have to be in the military." Al suggested.

"Hmmm. Decisions. Decisions." Edward said. He placed his hand on his chin in a thinking posture. "What to do? What to do?"

Al sighed. "Brother….?"

"We should stop him because he could hurt innocent people by doing this." Edward interrupted his brother. "So I'll go after Isaac and you destroy the transmutation circles. Be careful around the icebergs, Al."

The youngest alchemist nodded his head. "Okay brother. You be careful against Isaac. I'll try to finish fast with the circles so I can help you."

Edward nodded his head and ran off towards Central Command, hoping to meet Isaac there, while Al ran towards the closet alley with a transmutation circle in it. The young state alchemist stopped near an iceberg and looked up. He saw a man standing on the iceberg with his arms crossed. Frowning, Edward clapped his hands and put them on the ground. The ground around him grew out of the ground and allowed him to reach the top of the iceberg. He jumped onto the iceberg. "Isaac!"

Isaac turned around surprised when he heard Ed's voice. "What are you doing here?"

"My job. Stopping you." Edward replied.

"Kid, why do you work to stop me from destroying the military? You were forced to join the military. I bet you don't even like the military so why help them?" Isaac asked. "You could be using this time to run away from the military."

Edward looked away. "My brother said same the thing." He watched Isaac from the corner of his eyes with a frown. "But I won't run. If I do it will just cause more problems for Al and me. I have things I need to do and I can't do them if I'm running from the military. And if I don't help in stopping you then I'll get in trouble with my superior if he finds out so I'm going to stop you."

Isaac sighed. "So you're going to throw your life away by being in the military."

"I don't have a choice." Edward growled.

"You always have a choice. You could have joined us, but you refused." Isaac replied.

Edward frowned. "Forget it." He mumbled and clapped his hands. He slammed them on the ice in front of him, forming ice spikes that went flying towards Isaac.

Isaac threw his hand in front of him and changed the spikes into water. "My name is The Freezing Alchemist. Water is my specialty. You can't beat me with ice."

The young alchemist glared at him and changed his arm into a blade. "Then I'll just use my blade to beat you."

"If you can get close enough." Isaac sneered.

Edward frowned. He already knew that would be a problem. He shook the worry of not being able to reach Isaac off and raised his automail blade. The young alchemist charged at Isaac with his blade ready to attack.

Isaac made an ice sword and blocked Ed's blade. Edward pushed his blade forward, trying to break Isaac's ice sword. The Freezing Alchemist pushed back, keeping Ed from breaking his sword and attacking him. Annoyed with not being able to break through Isaac's ice sword, Edward brought his automail leg up and kicked Isaac in the stomach. Isaac yelped in surprise and brought his sword down in shock. Edward used that time to swing his automail blade at Isaac's chest. The blade sliced his chest. Blood dipped from Ed's blade onto the snow.

Isaac's hand went up to his chest and touched the blood coming from his cut. "You wounded me." He said with a small smile on his face. "You're good, but not good enough."

Edward growled and lunged towards Isaac again with his blade raised. Isaac ducked under his blade and grabbed Ed's flesh wrist. He twisted his arm behind his back and wrapped his other arm around Ed's neck. "You can't beat me, kid. Give up."

"Don't call me kid." Edward growled. He slammed his automail foot on Isaac's foot causing the older alchemist's grip on him to falter for a moment giving Ed time to twist his arm free and break free of his headlock.

"Just give up, kiddy." Isaac mocked.

The young alchemist's eyes narrowed in annoyance before a smirked formed on his lips. He back flipped away from Isaac.

Isaac watched confused before he was knocked off the iceberg. He rolled down the side of the iceberg and onto the ground. When he hit the ground he immediately jumped to his feet in annoyance.

"Nice Al." Edward said. "But didn't I tell you to get rid of the transmutation circles."

"I know brother, but I saw you needed help. Major Armstrong said he would get rid of them and that I should come help you." Al replied.

Edward nodded his head. "Let's get Isaac. I've had it with him."

Al and Ed slid down the ice on the side of the iceberg to the ground. When they were close enough to the ground they jumped off of the ice and landed in front of the pissed off looking Isaac.

"You two have no idea of what you're dealing with." Isaac growled.

"Then please inform us." Al replied with a sneer. It wasn't like him to sneer, but that man was hurting his brother. Hurting his brother was an unforgivable act in his eyes.

Loud footsteps distracted Al and Ed from Isaac. They turned to see military officers joining them with guns raised.

"Looks like our fight is over, kiddies." Isaac said.

Edward whipped his head around to glare at Isaac. "This isn't over." He growled and raised his blade again. "You can't escape from us. There's no water here for you to use."

Isaac smirked. "You forget that seventy percent of my body is water." He raised his arm that was covered in blood and shot spikes at Ed, stabbing him in the left shoulder and upper froze in shock with the spikes in his shoulder and arm. While Ed was distracted with the spikes, Isaac slammed his hand on the ground and used the water that was in his body to make steam. He used the steam as a cover to escape from the two kids and military officers.

The officers chased after him when the steam cleared while Al was fretting over his brother's wounds. "Al, it's alright. We have to go after Isaac." Edward replied.

"We have to get those spikes out though." Al said.

"We'll get them out later." Edward said and didn't give Al the chance to argue anymore as he ran after the officers and Isaac. Al sighed and followed after his brother. When the two caught up to the officers they found the Fuhrer standing with them and Isaac was being handcuffed. His gauntlet with the transmutation circle was taken off of him.

"Fuhrer, sir?" Ed questioned.

The Fuhrer turned around to face him. "Fullmetal, I came out to see if I could help. Who would have thought that I would be the one to catch him?"

Fire lit up the sky for a few seconds and a commanding voice was heard ordering Armstrong to destroy the transmutation circle. A few minutes later Mustang and his comrades joined them. "So you caught Isaac, sir?" Mustang questioned as he and his comrades saluted the Fuhrer.

"Yes. Were the transmutation circles destroyed?" Bradley asked.

"Yes sir. They were all destroyed." Mustang replied.

The Fuhrer nodded his head and turned to Ed. "Well, Fullmetal looks like you need to get to the hospital. Don't want those wounds to get infected now do we?"

Edward looked at his shoulders then at the Fuhrer. "I hate doctors." He mumbled. "They are evil."

"Fullmetal, doctors aren't evil. They just want to help you." Mustang said with a sigh.

"I don't like them." Edward growled. He pulled the spikes out of his shoulders and threw them to the ground before he angrily stalked away.

Al laughed and turned to Mustang. "Sorry about that. But it's only logical that he doesn't like doctors."

"Why is that?" Mustang asked confused.

"He has an automail arm and leg. The surgery he went through to get those limbs was extremely painful and brother was conscious for the whole thing." Al explained really fast and quietly so only Mustang could hear him before running after his older brother.

Mustang frowned. Automail? What did that kid do? "I have a feeling Fullmetal is going to be trouble when it comes to hospitals." He looked towards Hughes and Havoc. "Havoc, Hughes, go get Fullmetal and take him to the hospital."

After much fighting and arguing, Hughes and Havoc got Edward into a military car with his little brother and they were on their way to the hospital with Ed grumbling all the way.

At the hospital, Edward sat grumbling in a hospital bed. The doctor gave him a shot in each wound that was caused from the blood spikes. Then he stitched the wounds up. When the doctor was done, he wrapped the wounds up in gauze and left the room.

Edward sat in his bed, pouting.

Sighing, Al turned to his brother. "Stop being a baby, brother. The doctor isn't going to kill you. He's here to help you."

Edward turned to his brother with a scowl on his face. "That's what he wants you to think. He's actually a serial killer who kills his victims using medical techniques and he makes it look like you died when he was trying to 'save' you. This doctor is evil. He'll kill me."

Havoc laughed and leaned against the wall. "The doctor isn't going to kill you. I never heard of serial killer who used medical techniques to kill."

"That's because everyone thinks the people who died, died while that evil doctor was helping him. They would never expect him to actually be killing them on purpose." Edward replied.

Al hit his forehead with his hand. "Brother, I know you hate doctors but don't make up conspiracy stories about your doctor being evil."

"You'll know I'm telling the truth when that doctor kills me." Edward growled. "Then you'll be sorry for not listening to me."

Havoc looked at Hughes and raised a brow. "He must really hate hospitals to come up with a story like this."

Hughes just laughed. "It would be really scary if it was true. No one would ever want to come to a hospital again if they learned there was a doctor serial killer. If there's one, there could be more."

"Luckily there isn't one." Havoc said as he scratched his head. "I have a feeling these two are going to be spending a lot of time in hospitals."

The two officers let Al and Ed talk for a little while before they decided it was time to leave. They took Al back to his hotel before going their separate ways.

The next morning there was chaos at Central Command. Officers were running around trying to figure out how it happened. Somehow during the night, Isaac managed to escape from his prison taking a few other prisoners that were being held prisoner with him. [1]

"How did this happen?" The Fuhrer growled. He was pacing around his office with his hands behind his back. "There was no way he could have escaped unless someone helped him."

"So Isaac's plan worked." Mustang said annoyed.

Hawkeye looked at Mustang confused. "I thought his plan was to destroy Central Command and kill the Fuhrer."

"No. That was the distraction. He knew he would be arrested then executed later for his treason. His plan was to get arrested then escape in the middle night. He wanted to ask some of the prisoners if they wanted to join the resistance and those who agreed he set free and they left with him." Mustang explained.

Hughes leaned back in his seat on the couch. "Why do you think that was his plan?"

"I know the way his mind works. I was with him in Ishval after all." Mustang replied. "How many prisoners escaped with him?"

Havoc flipped through the report he had. "Three state alchemist and ten other prisoners who aren't alchemists."

A few miles away, unaware of the chaos going on at Central Command, Edward left the hospital when the doctor said he was free to go. He couldn't have been happier to get away from that evil doctor. He was suppose to wait for a military escort back to Central Command, but Ed didn't want a stupid escort. He could take care of himself so he decided to walk back to Central Command. It was better than waiting at the hospital with the evil doctor for his escort.

He was almost to Central Command when he heard someone calling to him. "Hey kid."

Edward whipped around to see Isaac leaning against a building, smirking at him. "What are you doing here? Weren't you arrested last night?" Ed growled.

"All part of the plan. The Fuhrer thought he was in control. He thought he won, but he was wrong." Isaac replied smugly.

The young alchemist growled. "That's all very well. But what are you doing here? You would think you would be in hiding so officers don't see you and arrest you."

"No officer is going to see me and even if they did, they couldn't capture me." Isaac replied.

Edward pointed a thumb at himself. "What about me? I'm a state alchemist. I'm part of the military."

Isaac smirked. "You won't arrest me, kid. If you did then I would be executed. And I don't think you could live with yourself if you knew you were the one who got me to be executed."

Edward growled. He crossed his arms and glared at Isaac. "Why did you speak to me?"

"Just wanted to ask you one more time to join the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment." Isaac replied.

"I've already told you before. I'm not joining you. I hate the military and I hate resistance groups. I can't be bothered with them. I have no reason to join you." Edward growled.

"Except escaping the military clutches." Isaac replied.

Edward raised a brow.

"Come on, kid. What twelve year old wants to be in the military?" Isaac said. "If you join the resistance, you won't have to be in the military any longer. They won't find you if you join us. So, what do say, want to join us?"

A/N: [1] Just a few prisoners that are OCs. I don't like OCs and they won't be main characters. I'm just trying to build up the resistance. They won't be based off of anyone. I know that some people write OCs and base them off themselves. I won't do that because I hate that. These prisoners are unimportant.

Please Review!


	11. Chapter 11: Shot

Disclaimer: I don't own Full Metal Alchemist or the characters.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"A lesson without pain is meaningless, that's because no one can give without sacrificing something. By enduring that pain and overcoming it, he shall obtain a powerful unmatched heart, a fullmetal heart."- Edward Elric

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 11: Shot

Edward sat in his hospital room annoyed. He was staring at the wall, waiting for his commanding officer to come and speak with him. The young alchemist was fidgeting from boredom as he continued to wait for Mustang. Hospitals were so boring.

The doctors put an IV in his arm and had to give him a blood infusion since he lost so much blood after being shot. A few of his ribs were fractured from the bullet.

The young alchemist glared at the IV. He hated needles and having one in his arm was annoying him. He wished he could just take it out.

It was three days ago when he was dragged back into the hospital by Hughes, Hawkeye, and Havoc. After that Hughes told him that Mustang would probably come speak with him soon and left. Havoc and Hawkeye stayed at the hospital as Ed's guard every other day. On the other days Second Lieutenant Maria Ross and her partner, Sergeant Denny were his guards. They stayed outside the room and stood beside the door unless he allowed them in his room. He kept trying to tell him he didn't need guards, but they refused to leave. Stupid jerks not listening to their superior.

Al came and visited everyday for a few hours. He had yet to come visit today so Ed was really bored.

The young alchemist let his mind wonder to a few days ago when he left the hospital earlier that week.

_Isaac smirked. "__If you join the resistance, you won't have to be in the military any longer. They won't find you if you join us. So, what do say, want to join us?"_

_Edward looked uneasily at the hand that Isaac extended towards him. After thinking for a few minutes, Ed hesitantly raised his right hand towards Isaac's. His hand stopped a few inches from Isaac's. _

"_Come on, kid. We'll help you get out of the military. Your brother and you will be safe from the military if you join us. You won't have to be a state alchemist and use your alchemy for killing." Isaac persuaded. _

_Ed bit his lip and moved his hand closer to Isaac's. _

_Isaac smirked at the young boy. "That's right. You'll be free of the military. The military is corrupt, kid. More corrupt then you will ever realize." The older alchemist frowned and stopped trying to win Ed over. He looked behind Edward and growled. _

_The sudden change in attitude woke Ed up from his thinking and he pulled his hand back as he took a few steps away from Isaac. _

"_Major Elric!" A voice yelled at Ed. _

_The young alchemist whipped around in surprise. He saw a few lower rank officers running towards him with their guns raised. Since he was so focused on the soldiers running towards him, Edward didn't noticed the arm that wrapped around his neck until it started to choke him. _

"_Kid, you're going to help me out of here." Isaac growled in his ear. "I can't be caught again." _

_Edward grabbed Isaac's arm and tried to pull it off. "I shouldn't help you with anything. Escape on your own." _

"_If I try to escape on my own I will do it by killing the officers to escape. So either help me escape by being a hostage so I won't kill the officers or I can let you go and kill all the soldiers here, including you, to escape." Isaac growled in Ed's ear. _

_Immediately, Edward ceased his struggling. He didn't want innocent people to die and he wasn't ready to die himself. He had a little brother he had to care for. _

_Isaac smirked. "Good boy." _

_Edward's eyes lit up in anger. "I'm not a dog." He growled. _

"_You're a state alchemist. You're a dog. Get use to it." Isaac replied. _

_The lower rank soldiers reached to the two alchemists and raised their guns at Isaac. "I wouldn't shoot if I were you." Isaac said. The click of a gun and something pushed against his skull made Edward tense up. "You shoot and I shoot him." _

_All the soldiers froze in their actions and looked unsure. Their guns lowered and were now pointed at the ground instead of Isaac. _

_Behind Isaac, the sound of a car screeching to a stop reached the ears of Ed and Isaac. Isaac turned so his back was facing the alley so the officers in the car couldn't sneak up on him. Hughes and Havoc climbed out of the car with their guns already out and pointed at Isaac. The other soldiers followed their lead and raised their guns again. _

"_Isaac let go of Major Elric." Havoc growled. _

"_You are in no position to be making orders with me." Isaac replied smugly. _

_Havoc and Hughes looked at each other, frowning. They kept their guns raised at Isaac, but did so anxiously. _

_Isaac smirked and started walking backwards into the alley, dragging Edward with him. The young alchemist struggled with the grip Isaac had on his throat, having trouble breathing. At this rate he knew he would pass out from the lack of oxygen. _

"_Stop struggling." Isaac told him annoyed with the fighting boy. _

"_Going…to….faint." Edward replied with ragged breath. "Can't…..breath." _

_The older alchemist grunted to show he heard what Ed said, but he didn't loosen his grip on the boy's neck. _

_Edward started clawing at Isaac's neck. "Bastard…..let…..go." _

"_You're wasting breath by trying to get me to let go." Isaac replied. _

_Edward opened his eyes a crack to look ahead of him. They were going deepen in the alley. No military officers were following them, probably afraid that Isaac would shoot him if they did follow. _

_After twenty more minutes of walking, Isaac stopped and dropped Ed to the ground. Edward fell to his hands and knees, one hand going up to his throat and rubbing it. He looked up and saw Isaac still pointing a gun at him. "Damn it. What do you want? You escaped. So why are you still pointing a gun at me?"_

"_You're still a state alchemist." Isaac replied. _

"_First you're trying to get me to join your rebellion. And now you want to kill me." Edward growled. "You need to make up your mind already." _

"_Back to our conversation from earlier. Are you going to join us?" Isaac asked as he prepared to fire his gun. _

_Edward frowned. "You're making it seem like I don't have a choice by pointing your gun at me." _

"_ISAAC!" An angry woman's voice yelled behind Ed. He looked behind himself to see a woman with blond hair and brown colored eyes. Her gun was pointed at Isaac. "Lower your gun." _

_Isaac smirked. "I don't think I will. You won't shoot me while your superior is in danger of being shot himself." _

_Hawkeye frowned and locked her eyes with Edward's. She saw the fear in his eyes. Despite being a state alchemist, he was still a kid and didn't want to die. "Isaac, I can't believe you would be so low as to use a child as a shield." _

"_I can't believe the military would be so low as to force a child to join as a state alchemist." Isaac snapped back at her. _

_Two pairs of feet were heard behind Isaac. Isaac looked back to see it was Hughes and Havoc, both had their guns raised. "There's nowhere for you to go, Isaac. Lower your gun now." _

_Isaac looked back at Edward and frowned. He smirked and pulled the trigger. _

_All four officers froze in shock for a few seconds when they heard the gun shot. They weren't expecting him to pull the trigger. _

_They broke from their shock to see Isaac using Ed's blood to draw a transmutation circle on the ground. The officers began to fire their guns at Isaac as he used the circle to make a tower that raised him off the ground. He jumped onto a roof and ran away, with his own wounds from the soldiers. _

"_Damn it. He got away." Hughes growled. He looked at Hawkeye who was kneeling next to Edward. _

"_Is he alive?" Havoc asked. He put his gun away and kneeled on Ed's other side. He pushed his fingers into Ed's neck to check for a pulse. "His pulse is very weak." _

_Edward opened his eyes and locked them with Hawkeye's. "M'…fine." _

_Hughes put his gun away and looked at the bleeding figure on the ground. "Where was he shot?"_

_Hawkeye ripped Ed's shirt apart to look at his chest. There was too much blood on the shirt to be able to tell without ripping his shirt. "It looks like the bullet just missed his heart." _

"_He won't last long if we don't get him back to the hospital." Hughes said. _

_Edward groaned. "No…..hospital…..M'…..fine." _

_The three soldiers looked at Ed exasperated. "You are most definitely not fine, chief. You were just shot and would be dead if the bullet hit just a little more to the left." Havoc growled. He picked the young bloody boy up and started to leave the alley with his comrades following him. _

_All the officers stayed at the hospital until he was out of surgery. When he was said to be stable, Hughes left to go inform Mustang what happened while Hawkeye and Havoc stayed to guard Edward. _

"_What do you mean he is back in the hospital? He was supposed to be released from the hospital today. You and Havoc were going to be picking him up today." Mustang replied. _

"_Well, Major Elric was impatient and left before we got there. We found him being held hostage by Isaac so he could escape. Isaac shot Major Elric, just missing his heart by an inch, and ran." Hughes explained. "The doctors said he is still in danger of dying so he has to stay at the hospital."_

_Mustang sighed and rubbed his eyes. "The kid hasn't been in the military that long and he is already near death."_

"_You're going to go speak with him?" Hughes asked. He leaned back in his sit on the leather couch as he looked at Mustang, sitting at his desk._

"_Later this week when he is stronger and I have free time." Mustang replied. "I can already tell that having this kid under my command will be hell. Have you informed Fullmetal's brother?"_

_Hughes nodded his head grimly. "While Major Elric was in surgery I called him. He didn't take it well. I had to send an officer to his apartment because the kid fainted and hit his head pretty hard on the ground. The officer brought him to the hospital to have his head checked." _

_Mustang sighed. "Is he okay?"_

"_Yeah. He should be." Hughes replied. "He just has to stay at the hospital for a day. He can go home tomorrow." _

"_Both of them are going to be trouble for us and only one of them is in the military. Feels like both are in the military." Mustang replied. "Who is guarding Fullmetal?"_

"_First Lieutenant Hawkeye and Second Lieutenant Havoc." Hughes said. _

_Mustang nodded his head. "Pick a pair of soldiers you trust greatly to guard Fullmetal every other day. That way the other pair of soldiers can come to the office and catch up on work and not have to guard every day." _

"_I got two soldiers I can trust. I'll go inform them now." Hughes replied. _

Edward looked up as the door to his hospital room opened. He was hoping it was his brother. Al always snuck in food for him since the hospital food sucks. His hope vanished when he saw it was Mustang.

The Colonel closed the door and stood at the end of the bed, staring at Ed. "Are you okay?" Was the first thing out of Mustang's mouth.

Blinking in surprise, Edward nodded his head. "Yeah."

Mustang raised a brow. "You sure?"

"The doctors have me on a lot of medications so there is no pain. I'm fine." Edward replied, starting to get annoyed. "Why are you here?"

"You are in my charge. It's part of my job to make sure my subordinates are okay and healthy. Can't have you collapsing from sickness or injuries." Mustang replied.

Edward crossed his arms, wincing as he hit his wound. "Well as you can see and from what I said, I'm fine. You can leave now."

Mustang shook his head and crossed his arms. "What were thinking? I told you to wait at the hospital for an escort to bring you back to Central Command. Why didn't you wait?"

"I hate hospitals and have better things to do then wait for an escort." Ed growled. His gold eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Yes and that worked out well. You ended up back in the hospital even longer." Mustang replied. "You could have been killed. From what the doctors told me you died a few times during the surgery. If you just waited for the escort you wouldn't be stuck here."

Edward growled. "I don't need officers to protect me. I can take care of myself. I don't need anyone's help."

Mustang narrowed his eyes. "Obviously you do since you were shot and nearly died."

The young alchemist leaned back in his bed. "I was caught by surprise. I didn't know Isaac escaped."

"I set you an escort because Isaac escaped. If he hadn't escaped I wouldn't have bothered with an escort because soldiers have better things to do then pick a kid up from a hospital." Mustang replied.

"You could have told me Isaac escaped when you told me about the escort." Edward growled.

"That wouldn't have stopped you from leaving without an escort." Mustang said.

Edward sighed and looked at the door. "Fine. Maybe you're right. I find escorts and guards annoying. Can you get rid of the guards for me? I don't need them."

"Yes you do. Isaac tried to kill you and he might try again." Mustang replied. "The guards are here to keep you safe."

"Isaac hasn't been caught yet?" Edward asked.

Mustang shook his head. "No. He escaped after he shot you. Apparently he used your blood to draw an array on the ground to escape. He must have shot you to be able to escape." Mustang sighed and moved towards the window. He looked down at the ground to see all the people moving about in their daily lives. "Why didn't you stop him? All you have to do is clap your hands to use alchemy. You could have easily escaped and captured him."

The young alchemist clenched his fist and looked at his blankets. "He had a gun to my head and I got scared. I panicked and wasn't thinking straight, okay? I forgot about alchemy. I've never been in a situation like that." Edward said quietly.

Mustang sat on the window ledge and looked at Edward. He was quiet for a few minutes. "You were trained in alchemy and hand-to-hand combat right?"

Edward nodded his head. "I'm used to fighting in a fair fight. But when he started choking me to take me as a hostage to escape my mind went blank. I'm not used to that kind of situation. He also said that he would kill the officers if I didn't be his hostage."

"So you allowed it to save the officers around you?" Mustang asked and Edward nodded his head. "Protect those below you. That's what I do. I make it my job to protect all those below me."

"Mustang…."

Mustang stood up and walked towards the door. "There's one more skill I want you to have, Fullmetal. In case something happens and you can't do alchemy fast, like you lose one of arms." Edward gripped his automail arm. "If your arm is ever destroyed. When you get out of the hospital, I'm going to have Hawkeye teach you how to use a gun, then I want you to always carry that gun with you. Never go anywhere without it. It might save your life one day."

"A g-gun?" Edward asked nervously.

"Do you have a problem with guns, Fullmetal?" Mustang asked.

"They are used to kill." Edward replied.

Mustang turned back around to face his young charge. "You said you've killed before."

Edward looked down and clenched his eyes shut as he willed the memory away.

"Fullmetal?" Mustang moved towards Edward and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

The young alchemist bit his lip and blinked his eyes a few times to get the memory to leave his eyes. "Yeah."

Mustang's grip on Ed's shoulder tightened. "Tell me what happened the day you killed. It will help if you talk about it."

Edward nodded his head. "It was five years ago a little before we met Teacher. Al was sick and I was taking care of him." Edward stopped and looked up at Mustang. "Please keep what I'm going to say from Al. He doesn't know this happened."

"I promise not to tell Alphonse." Mustang said.

"I was in the kitchen making soup for Al when it happened. It was storming really hard that night so when the door was slammed open I thought it was just from the wind. So I put down the knife I had in my hand and went to close the door. After I locked it closed, I went upstairs to check on Al. He was still sleeping so I went back downstairs to finish making the soup. When I got to the kitchen I saw a man standing there, holding a gun. He had the gun pointed at me. I got scared and just stood there. If I made even the slightest move I knew he would shoot me." Edward explained. He stopped to take a few breaths to calm himself down. He would not get worked up over this. He wouldn't.

Mustang nodded his head. "What happened next?"

"He started advancing on me. I took a step back scared and he shot my arm. I screamed in pain and grabbed my arm. Taking my chance since I already got shot I looked at the counter and saw the knife I was using to make the soup for Al. I took a chance and lunged towards the counter and grabbed the knife. The man shot me again, this time in the leg. I screamed in pain again, but forced myself to forget it. I sat on the ground and stared up at the man as he stood over me. He had his gun pointed at my heart. He was going to kill me then probably go for my brother. That thought passed through my mind and I took a chance, knowing I had to protect my brother. I pushed myself away from the man. The pain from my wounds made it hard, but I had to do it to protect my brother. Not having much time, I threw the knife at the man. It hit his hand making him drop his gun. He grabbed his hand in pain and I lay on the ground from pain, watching him. I was hoping he would just leave after that." The young alchemist stopped again and turned to stay out the window.

Mustang crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "But he didn't leave?"

Edward shook his head. "No. I saw him look at the gun then at me. I glared at him and at the same time we lunged for the gun. Luck was on my side as I got the gun first. I didn't have time to think with the man right in front of me. I knew he would try to get the gun from me and kill me. I shot the gun five times from fear. Since he was standing right in front of me at the time, all the bullets hit him. Two bullets hit his heart, one in his neck, one in his stomach, and the last one hit his lung. He died instantly."

"What did you do after that?" Mustang asked.

"I laid on the ground for a while from pain. I eventually got the courage to move. It was extremely painful but I reached the phone and called my neighbor. She was a doctor. Granny Pinako called a few men from the village to come to my house. They took the body away and after it stopped raining, they burned the body to leave no trace behind. They threw the gun away. Granny Pinako fixed me up." Edward explained.

"What did you guys say to Al?" Mustang asked.

Edward took a few breaths. "We lied. We told him that Granny Pinako came to take care of us cause I got sick to. He never knew that I got shot. He and Winry don't know any of this."

"Winry?"

"She's our best friend and my mechanic." Edward explained.

Mustang nodded his head. "You guys covered it up. Why? You wouldn't have gotten in trouble. It was self-defense."

"Al and Winry would have found out otherwise. I didn't want that. They would never look at me the same way. They would have been scared. Scared of me. Scared that it might happen again." Edward explained.

"You don't like guns because the first time you touched a gun you killed." Mustang said. "Guns aren't always used to kill. They can be used to protect, to save lives. I want you to learn. If you know how to use a gun then you will be able to stop from killing. You know the body, where all the vital organs are. If you learn how to use a gun then you can aim so you won't hit there."

Edward nodded his head. "Do I have to?"

"Yes. It will save you one day." Mustang replied. "I'm going to tell Hawkeye what you told me so she knows when she is training you. It for the best."

"Okay." Edward replied.

"I have to get back to work." Mustang said. He gave Ed one more look before leaving.

Edward bit his lip and stared at the blankets. The past was the past. It was time to move on.

A/N: Please Review!


	12. Chapter 12: Youswell Coalmines

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long, but I've been busy. Also, my updates might start taking longer like this one. These last few weeks have been busy. But now my updates might take longer because I got a summer job.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"This is our home and our coffin."- Boss

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 12: Youswell Coalmines

Al looked at his brother nervously when he came to visit him later that day. He twiddled his fingers and avoided eye contact with his brother. He sat in a chair near the bed.

The state alchemist ate the food that Al brought him anxiously. The way his brother was acting was making him nervous to. After about ten minutes of it, Edward had enough. "Okay Al, what is wrong?"

"Brother, have you been crying?" Al asked, avoiding his brother's question.

Edward looked away from his brother. "Sort of. Not really crying, just being stupid."

"Were you crying about what you and the Colonel were talking about?" Al asked.

Ed's head whipped around to look at his brother. "What do you know?" He growled in a low, dangerous voice.

Al flinched back from his brother's voice. "I was outside the door with Maria and Brosh when you were telling him. I heard everything. I was eavesdropping. Maria and Brosh stood away from the door. They didn't think it was right to listen in."

All the nervousness in the room disappeared to be replaced by tension. Al was looking at his brother scared and worriedly, while Ed had fear and anger on his face. "A-al, I never wanted you to know." Edward swallowed a lump in his throat.

"Brother, I had a right to know. You're my brother. Nothing is going to change that." Al started, jumping to his feet. His worry changed to anger. "We're brothers! I can't believe you would hide something like this. We tell each other everything. You're all I have left and you're keeping secrets."

Edward looked at his brother with sad eyes. "Al…I didn't tell you because I was afraid. I thought if you found out you would be scared of me and would hate me."

Al sighed at his brother and forgot his anger. He collapsed back in his chair. "Ed, we're brothers. Maybe I might have been scared then, but we're brothers. I could never hate you. You're all I've got left. I trust you with my life. I'll do whatever it takes to help you. No matter what happens in our lives I will never abandon you. Remember when you did human transmutation? That's illegal and yet I'm still here with you. It's cause we're brothers. Nothing is going to separate us."

"I know. I just couldn't push the fear away." Edward replied. He stared at his blankets. "Why didn't you come in after Mustang left?"

"I left after hearing the story. I needed time to myself. It felt like a betrayal because you didn't tell me on your own. I had to learn by eavesdropping." Al explained.

"I'm sorry, Al. Forgive me?"

Al stood up and hugged his brother. "It's alright, brother. So when are you getting out of here? It's lonely at the hotel by myself."

Edward laughed. "I think I should be good to go in a couple of days. Then we are leaving Central for a while."

The younger brother blinked confused. "Where are we going?"

"I'm going to be getting my first mission soon." Edward answered.

"Ah yes. The first mission that is taking forever for you to get and all because you had to annoy the Colonel and be late to your meeting. If you were on time then you wouldn't be stuck here now." Al said with a big smile on his face.

Edward grinned at his brother. "Yes, that mission."

*B*R*E*A*K*

The leader nodded his head. "He's in the hospital because of Isaac?"

The man nodded his head. "Isaac must have miscalculated and missed his heart."

"That would explain why he hasn't come back since he brought those prisoners here to join us." The leader growled. "When I ordered you all to stay away from the kid, I meant it. I want to watch him and see what he does. I don't want him dead."

The group in the room nodded their heads.

"Do you think he meant to kill him and missed by accident?" The leader snarled.

"Yes. His goal was to kill him. I don't know why he betrayed us. I never imagined that Isaac would go against one of your orders." The man answered calmly.

The leader slammed his fist on the arm rest and clenched his teeth. "Find Isaac and silence him. I don't want any information about us leaked out."

*B*R*E*A*K*

Edward stretched his arms above his head and smiled. "Finally out of that hellhole!"

"Edward, the car is this way." Hawkeye said as she led the young boy to a car.

The young alchemist frowned and lowered his arms. "Do I have to have an escort back to Central Command?"

"Yes. Do you really want to have another bad run-in with someone and have to come back here?" Havoc asked. He chewed on his cigarette and leaned back in his seat in the car. At Ed's silence, Havoc continued. "Then get in the car."

Sighing, Edward complied and got in the backseat. Hawkeye climbed into the passenger seat and nodded towards Havoc as she put her seatbelt on. Havoc started the engine and pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

"Major Elric, Colonel Mustang has informed me that I will start your lessons on how to use a gun when you return from your mission. The mission can't be put off anymore." Hawkeye replied. "After your mission you will stay here in Central for a few days to get your gun and…"

The second lieutenant slammed on his brakes in the middle of the street and turned to look at Hawkeye. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"What's wrong, Lieutenant?" Hawkeye asked, turning to face him. "You're holding up traffic."

"A gun?" Havoc growled through clenched teeth, as he started driving again. Out of the corner of his eye, he was watching Hawkeye. His knuckles were gripping the steering wheel so tight that they were turning white. "He is twelve years old. He shouldn't be getting a gun. What is the Colonel thinking?"

Hawkeye sighed. "He wants him to have a gun for extra protection in case he can't do alchemy for whatever reason. We don't have a choice in the matter. It was an order." She turned in her seat to look at Ed, whose eyes lost all the life in them. His hands were gripping the fabric of his pants. "Sir, the Colonel informed me of what happened a few years ago."

Edward nodded his head. "Yes, he said he was going to tell you."

"What happened a few years ago?" Havoc asked, looking at Ed in the rearview mirror.

Hawkeye closed her eyes and shook her head. "Not now, Havoc." The first lieutenant opened her eyes and looked at her superior. "It will be okay, Major. You will only ever have to use the gun in situations where you can't use alchemy. I'll help you to have perfect aim so you'll be able to hit the target somewhere where it won't kill the target."

The young major nodded his head and closed his eyes.

When Edward next opened his eyes, it was to a hand on his shoulder shaking him. "You fell asleep there, Major." Havoc said, smiling. "Come on. We're at Central Command."

Edward nodded his head and climbed out of the car. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he followed his comrades to Mustang's office.

"Good to see you out of the hospital, Fullmetal." Mustang greeted when Edward walked into his office.

Edward grunted in reply and sat on the couch. "Hawkeye told me you're going to send me on my mission first before she teaches me how to use a gun."

Mustang grabbed a file off his desk and tossed it to Edward. "Since it's your first mission, I'm giving you something easy. Though I'm sure you can find a way to mess it up."

The young alchemist glared at Mustang over the file. "Checking the coal mines? Is this really a mission for a state alchemist?"

"A state alchemist is sent on this kind of mission because they are suppose to have knowledge of minerals. You do have that knowledge, right?" Mustang asked. Edward nodded his head agitated. "Then you are dismissed. Your train leaves in an hour."

Growling in annoyance, Ed stomped out of the office and down the halls. He ignored all the confused looks he got. He didn't even care that they were there. When he got outside, he took a deep, calming breath and straightened his jacket that became askew with all his stomping around.

"AL!" Ed yelled when he entered his hotel room.

Al jumped in surprise and looked up from his book. "Brother?"

"Pack up, we're leaving." Ed replied as he headed to his room.

When he was done packing all his stuff, checked out of the hotel, and the two boys were leaving the hotel, Al turned to look at his brother. "Where are we going?"

"Youswell, I'm to inspect the coalmines." Ed flipped through the file and found two tickets to Youswell. "It's nice that they pay for the tickets."

Al smiled. "It's great that we get to travel and see the world. This will be fun."

Ed smiled at his brother's enthusiasm.

"Brother, you never did tell me what the philosopher stone is." Al said suddenly when they were on the train.

Ed blinked and looked away from the moving scenery. "Oh, well with everything that happened, I forgot."

"So?" Al prompted.

"The Philosopher stone is a legend that goes by many names, the Great Elixir, the Celestial Stone, the Fifth Element. It amplifies alchemical transmutations. It is said that the Philosopher stone breaks the Law of Equivalent Exchange. It is a perfect material." Ed explained, staring out the window again.

"Do you think it could be real?" Al asked after a few minutes of silence.

Ed blinked himself out of his stupor and turned away from the window to look at his little brother. "What? The Philosopher stone?"

Al nodded his head.

"I don't know. Some people think it could be." Ed leaned back and stretched his arms above his head. He rolled his shoulders, then laid down on the hard seat and closed his eyes. "Why do you ask?"

The younger boy looked away from his brother to the scenery speeding by outside. He twisted his hands around each other. "Well, if it was real…..t-then…..I…."

Sighing, Ed sat up and looked at his brother. "Al, you have to get over this shyness. Now, why do you want the stone?"

"I want to get your limbs back." Al blurted out, looking down with a blush.

Ed blinked, then again, then again, then again, before smiling. "Don't worry about me, Al. These metal limbs are my price for my sin. You don't have to worry about me."

"But they hurt you. I know they do." Al protested. "Winry told me that they will be sore and hurt when it rains. In the heat, they were burn you. In the extreme cold, you'll get frostbite, your ports will bleed, jolts of pain will shoot through your body, and your automail will eventually stop working."

Ed clapped his brother's shoulder. "Al, don't worry. I'll get used to all of this. We don't need to get my limbs back."

"But…."

"Nope. Don't need them." Ed replied. He laid back down on the wooden seat and closed his eyes. "Wake me when we get there."

Al sighed and looked around the train. It was completely empty except for him and his brother. Was the town they were heading to that boring?

"Brother." Al poked Ed in his ticklish spot. "Brother, we're here."

Ed laughed and pushed Al away. "Don't poke me there."

"We're here though." Al said.

Sighing, Ed stood up and rubbed his sore back. "Why do these seats have to be so hard?"

"Come on, brother." Al said as he grabbed his suitcase.

The brothers jumped off the train and looked at the almost completely deserted town. Only a few people were walking around.

"This looks like a poor town." Al commented.

"Doesn't look like we'll have much to do here." Ed scratched the back of his head. He looked at the kids who were working nearby and sighed. "Kids shouldn't have to work."

Al nodded his head in agreement. His eyes traveled to his brother. It wasn't fair that his brother had to work, and to make it worse it was for the military. "We should find somewhere to stay tonight."

"Are you tourists?" A boy nearby asked them.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Ed replied. _A tourist? A tourist wouldn't come here. _

"DAD!" The boy yelled. "TOURISTS!"

A man walked over to the three. He tipped his helmet at the Elric brothers. "We don't get many tourists in this part. You can stay at our inn. The finest inn in town."

"Not to mention, the only inn in town." The little boy said with a grin.

Ed rolled his eyes, but followed the two with his brother to a small, but cozy looking inn. Inside the place was filled with miners drinking alcohol. At the front desk was a kind looking woman.

"Customers, Ma." The little boy said.

"Sorry it's a little dusty. The salary for coal miners is low, so I'm working at this inn at the same time." The man said nonchalantly, but Ed and Al could see the anger in his eyes.

"What you're saying, boss?" One of the miners called, raising his beer glass. "You're the one taking cash away from guys with money problems."

Ed could tell by the man's mocking tone that the two were friends so there wouldn't be a problem.

"The wife would cry." Another miner said.

"Shut up." 'Boss' said. "If you got any complaints, pay your beer tab!"

"One night and two meals for two, right?" The 'boss's' wife asked.

Ed and Al looked away from the miners with a blanked shock expression. "How much?"

The 'boss' smirked. "It'll be expensive."

Ed grinned. "Don't worry. We may not look it, but we've got plenty of money."

The man held up two fingers. "200,000."

Ed and Al fell over in shock at the amount. When they straightened themselves out, Ed scowled at him. "That's ridiculous."

"That's why I said it's ridiculous. We have to get cash from the rare tourist." 'Boss' said.

"What now, brother?" Al whispered in Ed's ear. "We left most of the money dad left us in the bank."

Ed pulled out his wallet and started counting the money he has. "100…..125….130….150…..175…185,000. It's not enough." He ran a frustrated hand over his face. He turned to the lady behind the desk. "How much for one night and one meal?"

"That would be….." The lady thought for a moment. "150,000."

Ed groaned and whacked his head on the desk. These people were evil, trying to rip two kids off!

"Brother!"

Sighing, Ed looked at his brother with a grin. "It's not a problem, AL." He handed over 150,000 to the woman. "One night of not eating isn't going to kill me."

Al shook his head. "It's your money. You should be the one to eat."

"Al, I'm your older brother. It's my job to take care of you." Ed replied. He took the bronze key from the woman with a scowl. "It will be fine. I can eat on the train out of here tomorrow."

After much arguing, Ed and Al split the food so they could both eat.

"So, who is in charge here?" Ed asked. It was time to find out what was going on in this town.

"Lieutenant Yoki." 'Boss' snarled.

"I sense some anger at the Lieutenant. Why?" Ed asked.

"He's greedy and brought his current rank. He sends bribes to the people in Central to get what he wants." One of the miners said. "They gave him this land so it is his private property."

"He takes advantage of his rights and lowers our salary down to crumbs." Another miner growled. "Anyone who complains about him gets smacked up."

Ed and Al shared angry looks.

"Brother," Al said the next morning with a pillow over his face.

"Yeah, Al?" Ed mumbled through his own pillow.

"I think the people here are going to start a riot soon by the noise going on downstairs." Al replied. He pulled his blanket over the pillow that was covering his face. Why did people make so much noise in the morning?

Stifling a groan, Ed sat up and threw his pillow to the side. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked at the bed next to his. "I should probably go see what is going on."

"It is your job, _Major_." Al replied, stressing the last word. His brother was the military dog, not him so why should he get out of his warm, cozy bed?

Mumbling every swear word he knows and cursing the military, Ed swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. He stretched his arms high above his head, releasing the cracks and aches out of his arm and back. He threw on his black outfit and red coat. "Get up, Al, and meet me downstairs."

"But brother…" Al stopped when he heard the bedroom door slam shut. Grumbling, Al got out of bed. Obviously neither Elric brother was a morning person.

"I apologize I can't do anything about our taxes being low." 'Boss' said.

"Hmph, and yet, there is more than enough to just enjoy alcohol." Lieutenant Yoki said. He covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief as if trying to keep some horrible smell that didn't exist out. It was probably his well of insinuating something insulting about the miners. "Which means, it would be acceptable if I lowered your income a little."

His statement caused an uproar.

"Why you….

"What?"

"Don't push us around." The little boy, who Ed learned was Kayal, yelled.

Splat.

Ed reached the bottom of the stairs in time to see Kayal throw a dirty rag at Lieutenant Yoki's face. The Lieutenant wiped his face with the handkerchief he was covering his face with.

"First Lieutenant! You little runt!" A lower rank officer growled.

Lieutenant Yoki backhanded Kayal.

"Kayal!" 'Boss' yelled.

The lower rank officer pulled his sword out.

"Don't give him any mercy because he's a child." Lieutenant Yoki said. "This is a warning."

The young state alchemist jumped in front of Kayal just as the officer was bringing his sword down. He raised his right arm, blocking the sword, which broke in half when it came into contact with his steel arm.

Everyone stared at Ed in surprise.

"Who the hell are you?" Lieutenant Yoki yelled in surprise.

"Incompetence, bribery, abuse of power, attacking a superior. Am I forgetting anything, Al? I don't want to leave anything out of my report." Ed looked over at his little brother, who was now at the bottom of the stairs.

"I don't think so, brother. I think you named everything." Al replied.

"This has nothing to do with you. So stay out of it." Yoki growled.

Ed smirked and pulled out his silver pocket watch, showing it to Yoki.

"The President's crest!" Yoki said shocked.

"First Lieutenant, who is that kid?" The lower rank officer asked.

"You idiot." Yoki growled. "Haven't you heard of the State Alchemists? The agency that's under the direct control of the president?"

"You mean that pipsqueak is a state alchemist?" The lower rank officer said shocked.

Ed's brow twitched at the word pipsqueak.

"This is my chance to make some connections in Central." Yoki said, most likely forgetting what Ed said about all his crimes.

"What cunning, First Lieutenant!" The lower rank officer said.

Ed's eyes narrowed in slight annoyance.

Al snorted next to his brother. "This will be entertaining."

"I apologize for my subordinate." Yoki said. "I am Yoki, the governor of this town."

Ed's eye twitched.

"It must be some sort of fate that we met like this." Yoki continued, ignorant to the fact that he was making Ed mad.

Al chuckled and took a few steps away from his brother.

The miners glared at Yoki and Ed, especially 'boss'. How could he let a state alchemist stay in his inn?

"Yoki…." Ed growled.

"Yes sir?" Yoki asked, eager to please the major.

Edward closed his eyes and took a calming breath. Before he could take the Lieutenant down, he needed to be sure the town wouldn't get another corrupt officer to run it. "I'm here to inspect the coal mines. If you could show me to them, then leave me be so I could work, it would be much appreciated."

Al looked at his brother confused. He knew Ed wouldn't leave the town the way it is, but what was he doing?

"Of course, sir."

"Stay here, Al." Ed replied.

"Okay brother."

Yoki led Ed to the mine. "It's embarrassing to talk about, but I am having trouble collecting taxes. In addition, there are many ruffians like the ones earlier…." Yoki cleared his throat. "Yes, it is really embarrassing."

"So they insist they have rights, while not paying their taxes." Ed summarized.

"That is correct, sir Edward. You're rather smart." Yoki said.

Ed smirked. "All logic in the world can be represented by the basis of alchemy, 'exact trade.' Privilege comes with duty right."

Yoki nodded his head. "I see, I see. Yes, wonderful. I wonder if you will accept this as 'logic?'"

The lower rank officer handed Ed a small drawstring bag.

"Sir Edward, because you are a state alchemist, it is thought that you would have influence with the Higher-ups. This is merely what I feel, but…." Yoki trailed off.

Ed waved the drawstring bag. "This is the so-called 'bribe,' huh?"

"What I feel." Yoki smirked. "I do not want to end my life as a petty officer of a hick town like this. You do understand?"

Ed didn't reply as he entered the coalmine.

"First Lieutenant, this concerns Hulling's store. It seems that every night, disturbing elements gather there and complain about their treatment." The low rank officer said.

"Hmph, they were being somewhat defiant earlier. How annoying." Yoki said. "Burn it."

Ed glanced back when he heard them talking. He narrowed his eyes.

"Your brother is a state alchemist?" The 'boss's' wife said angrily at Al. All the miners and Kayal left to go to the mine a few minutes after Ed left.

Al shrugged. "Not by choice." He looked out the window of the inn, frowning when he saw Yoki's men around. What were they…..

Al stood up abruptly, his chair falling to the ground. "We need to get out of here."

"What? Why?" The 'boss's' wife asked surprised.

"They're going to burn the inn down." Al said urgently. He grabbed the woman's hand and pulled her outside as the officers set the inn on fire.

When Ed was finished with inspecting the coalmine, he left the mine and headed back to the inn to get his brother. He stopped outside the inn and stared at it with narrowed eyes. He looked at the miners who returned when they saw the fire.

"This is horrible." One of the miners said.

"Damn it. They really pulled something dirty." Boss growled, hugging his wife.

"Hey Ed, you have enough power to transmute gold, don't you?" Kayal asked. "Transmute some for us and save…Dad…..and the town."

"No." Ed said coldly.

"No way!" Kayal cried. "Isn't it okay? You won't lose anything either."

"The Alchemical standard is 'exact trade.' I don't have any obligation or responsibility to make money for you." Ed replied coldly.

"Why you…." Kayal grabbed the front of Ed's coat. "And you're supposed to be an Alchemist? Alchemist be thou for the people! Isn't that your motto?"

"Alchemist live for the sake of the people, eh?" Ed scoffed. They make it sound like alchemists only live for the people and don't have any life of their own. He ripped his jacket free. "In any case, even if I give you money, it'll be taken away as taxes and then it'll be over with. I won't get anything either if I do anything for your little problems. If you have that many problems, get out of this town and look for a different job."

"Kid, you don't get it." 'Boss' said.

Ed looked at him out of the corner of his eye to see the miners leaving.

"This is our home and our coffin." 'Boss' said.

Ed shoved his hands in his pocket and looked at the sky. He began walking away with Al chasing after him.

"Brother, what are you doing? How are you going to save them?" Al asked.

"What makes you think I'll save them? They have to do things on their own. As I said before, I have no obligation to help them." Ed stopped in front of a cart of sludge. "Al, how much do you think this sludge weighs?"

"Around one or two tons." Al replied confused.

Ed climbed into the cart. "I'll break the law a little so pretend you aren't looking."

"Huh? What?" Al asked even more confused. What was his brother up to? He just said he didn't' have any obligation to help these people and now he was doing something illegal? Why was he stuck with a brother like this? "So, are you telling me to be an accomplice?"

"Don't want to, but that is one way to look at it." Ed replied as he clapped his hands and slammed them on the sludge.

Al sighed and shoved his hands in his pocket. "If I said no, you would still do it, right?"

"What? If no one finds out, it's okay. If nobody finds out." Ed replied cheerfully.

Al whacked his forehead. "Oh, well. I have to put up with such a bad brother."

All the sludge turned into blocks of gold.

"What are we doing with this?" Al asked.

"We have to get it up to Yoki's mansion." Ed said.

"How?" Al cried, looking shocked at all the blocks of gold.

Ed motioned to the cart. "We got a cart and alchemy."

"Excuse me!" Yoki said shocked.

"I want to buy the Youswell coal mines." Ed repeated.

"But it's not for sale." Yoki replied.

Ed frowned. "Too bad. I guess we hauled all this gold up here for no reason." He pushed the doors open to reveal a big pile of blocks of gold while his brother groaned at the thought of the pain it was to haul that gold up here.

Yoki gaped at the gold.

"Wow. They're real." The lower rank officers checked the gold out.

"They're real."

Ed rested a hand on his chin. "Not enough?"

"D-d-d-don't be absurd." Yoki stuttered.

"With just this, I can say goodbye to this town….And send bribes to the higher ranks and then and then….and then…" Yoki trailed off and looked at Ed.

Ed grinned. "Yes, I'll be sure to inform my friends among the higher-ups about the First Lieutenant in Youswell."

"Sir Alchemist!" Yoki said happily.

"But gold transmutation is illegal, so I would appreciate it if you would write a memorandum stating, "this deed was transferred free of charge amicably," so nobody will find out." Ed explained.

"Of course, I don't mind. Very well, let's skip to the legal process." Yoki said.

Ed grinned as he walked down the road with Al laughing at his side. "Yoki is in for a big surprise, right, big brother?" Al asked.

Ed laughed. "Yep."

"Where do you think the 'boss' is?" Al asked.

Ed shrugged.

"What, Dad? Why stop?" Kayal's voice drifted to them.

"Found them." Ed said, but didn't go to them. He turned to the burned down inn.

"Because, I won't let you attack them." 'Boss's' voice said.

Ed clapped his hands and placed them on the inn.

"Even if the 'boss' doesn't, I will."

Flashes of blue light flooded around Al and Ed as the inn rebuilt itself.

"Yeah, I've had enough."

"Even if we all die, I'm going to shoot off that Yoki's head with one shot."

"No! I won't let all of you become criminals." 'Boss' growled.

"But…." Kayal started.

Ed smirked and slammed the door to the shed-like building open. "Hiiii everybody!" He yelled cheerfully with Al laughing next to him. "All people who owe money, line up, and be very happy."

Everyone in the shed-like building looked at Al and Ed with distaste.

"Why did you come here?" Kayal demanded.

"Hey, hey, you wouldn't say those kinds of things and drive off the owner of this place, would you?" Ed asked slyly with a mischievous grin and eyes.

"What the hell are you…." One of the miners started, but stopped when Ed flashed the deed in his face.

"This….is…."

"Mining, management, sales, etc…the deed for all business." Ed explained.

"Why are you holding this?" The miner demanded. "AHHH! The signature is Edward Elric!"

"WHAT?" 'Boss' and Kayal yelled, faces full of shock.

"Right! In short, presently….." Ed raised his arms dramatically. "The coalmine is mine!"

"NO WAY!" The miners shouted.

"….Is what I said. We're the wandering sort that goes from journey to journey." Ed said, sighing in fake annoyance.

"Something like this would just be a nuisance to us." Al sighed.

'Boss' frowned. "Are you saying you're going to sell it to us? How much?"

"It's expensive!" Ed smirked. "If you want to get something, you got to pay a price. This is vellum embossed in gold. And its storage box has a wonderful design, finely carved in jade. Yeees, the work of a craftsman. Oh, and the key is silver. Well, to the untrained eye, all of this lumped together equals the price of one night and two meals for two at the 'boss's' place. Is this reasonable?"

'Boss' laughed. "Yes, that's expensive!"

Ed slammed the deed on the barrel in front of 'boss.' "I stay another night."

"But the inn was burned….."

"What?" Al feigned confusion. He pushed the shed-like building door opened and pointed at the inn. "Then what is that?"

'Boss' laughed. "All right, brought!" 'Boss' said cheerfully.

"Sold!"

"But brother, weren't we supposed to report back to the colonel tomorrow?" Al asked confused.

"Al," Ed placed a patronizing hand on Al's shoulder. "What's wrong with breaking rules a little? It is now my life mission to piss off the Colonel. Besides I have to write that report still."

Al narrowed his eyes with a smirk. "It's your job on the line, not mine."

"That's the spirit!" Ed howled with laughter.

"Sir Alchemist, what is the meaning of this?" Yoki demanded as he pushed his way into the building.

Ed grinned at him and pointed at 'boss.' "Well, if it isn't the First Lieutenant. I just sold the deed to this man."

"What did you say?" Yoki screeched. He frowned with a twitching eye. "No, more importantly! The gold bricks you gave me all turned into coal. Why did this happen? Please explain."

"Gold bricks?" Al asked innocently. "What are you talking about, Mister? My brother and I don't have any gold bricks to give you."

"Don't play innocent with me, you little brats. Didn't I trade the certificate for that mountain of gold? This is fraud!" Yoki yelled.

"Insulting a superior officer. I'll be sure to put that in my report to." Ed said, making a mental note. "As for the certificate, I received it free of charge. There's even a memorandum."

"The transaction is invalid!" Yoki turned to his officers. "Take back the dee…"

Yoki stopped when the coalminers cracked their knuckles.

Ed looked up at the ceiling. "You also tried to bribe me. Bribing a superior officer and me none the less. I have to definitely put that in the report to."

"Uh…..brother?" Al asked uneasily as the coalminers started to beat up the officers while Ed was talking.

"What, Al?" Ed asked.

"Well, shouldn't you stop that?" Al motioned to the coalminers.

"Naw, let them have their fun." Ed replied, waving his hand in impatiently.

"IT'S TIME FOR A CELEBRATION!" 'Boss' shouted.

The coalminers cheered.

"Dad," Kayal said with a smile as he watched Ed party with the coalminers with his brother. "Ed didn't go as far as to sell his soul to the military."

"Come on, have a drink!" One of the coalminers said, dumping a glass over Ed.

"Don't make a minor drink!" Ed shouted, wiping the beer off his head.

"What? I did when I was your age." Another coalminer said.

"You can't get any bigger if you don't drink." Another said.

"ARE YOU CALLING ME SMALL?" Ed screamed, trying to launch at the man, but Al held him back.

"Yeah, you're right." 'Boss' said. "There is a hero for the people in the military."

A/N: Please Review!


	13. Chapter 13: New Search

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Thanks for the reviews!

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"A gun is good. Unlike a sword or knife, it doesn't leave the feeling of a person dying in your hands."- Riza Hawkeye

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 13: A New Search

Al sighed and pulled his brother to the side so he wouldn't run into the little boy on the sidewalk that was playing marbles with his friends. His brother grunted in thanks or annoyance at Al. Al wasn't sure which it was. He was either grateful that Al pulled him out of the way so he wouldn't run into someone or he was annoyed with his brother because he was writing his report and walking at the same and Al pulling him might have messed up his writing.

"You had us stay an extra night in Youswell, brother. You said you were going to write the report then." Al scolded his brother as they neared Central Command.

Ed scowled. "I started it and got most of it done last night. I just didn't have time to finish it and it's impossible to write neatly on that train." He stopped walking and turned to the wall that was surrounding Central Command. He put his report flat on the wall and started to write slowly. "And you try writing with your left hand when you are right handed while trying to keep it as neat and grammatically correct as possible."

Even as hardheaded as Ed was, he was a completely organized, neat perfectionist. Everything he did had to be perfect or it would drive him crazy until he made it perfect. It would keep him awake at night if he knew something he was working on and said to be finished wasn't perfectly done and he would have to work all night to make it perfect. It drove Al crazy when they were younger and shared a room. If the room was dirty at all, Ed would have to get up and clean the room before he could sleep. Everything had to be in the right place before he could sleep.

"I guess it doesn't really matter. You're already a day late." Al replied, sitting against the wall as his brother finished his report.

"That's the spirit, little brother!" Ed said, grinning down at his brother with a feral grin. He put the finishing touches in his report before putting it in the manila folder. "Since it's my job to piss the Colonel off, I'll take you to the dorms first, Al."

"I can go by myself, brother." Al replied offended. His brother was making it sound like he can't take care of himself. How dare he? He was the better of the two at hand-to-hand combat.

Ed smiled at his brother's offense. "I know you can, Al, but you can't get in the dorm because you aren't military personal. I have to be with you to get you in."

"Oh." Al muttered embarrassed. "Okay brother."

"Besides, I want to drop my suitcase off." Ed replied, shaking his suitcase. "We should have done this before we left so we didn't have to lug all our clothes with us."

Al snorted. "Brother, you have what two or three outfits? Doesn't seem that hard to lug around."

Childishly, Ed stuck his tongue out at his brother.

"And they are all the same." Al continued, pretending like he didn't see his brother. "All black! You should wear something besides black."

"I do. See this," Ed grabbed the front of his coat. "A red coat."

Al laughed. "Yes, brother, that is so much."

"Maybe I just don't like color. Did you ever think about that, Al?" Ed retorted.

"Then why the red coat, brother?" Al asked.

Ed didn't reply. He looked up at the sky and fell silent. There was a reason behind his red coat.

"Brother?"

But he never told his brother why he wore the red coat or the black clothes.

"What's wrong, brother?" Al asked worriedly.

Ed looked at his brother and smiled. "Nothing, Al. Don't worry about it."

Al frowned at his brother. He looked ready to protest, demand, beg, and yell at his brother to tell him what was wrong, but at that moment they reached the dorms, which were only a short walk from Central Command.

After arguing with the officer at the front desk to let his brother stay in the dorms with him and dropping his suitcase off in his room, Ed said goodbye to his brother and left the dorms.

In Central Command, he walked cheerfully down the halls, saluting the soldiers he walked past or nodding his heads at the lower rank soldiers who saluted him as soon as they saw the silver chain on his pants.

"Welcome back, Major Elric." Hawkeye greeted with a salute when Ed entered the office.

Ed grinned at her. "Hi-ya, Lieutenant."

"You do realize you were supposed to return yesterday, sir?" Hawkeye asked.

Ed shrugged. "I had a deal to fulfill with the people of Youswell." He tilted his head to the side as he looked at her with the eyes of a curious child, making him look like an innocent little boy, which everyone knew he wasn't by everything he's done since they met him. "Can you not call me sir? It makes me feel old."

Hawkeye gave the young boy a smile. "Of course, si….Major."

"Good enough!" Ed declared. He whipped around to face the rest of the officers in the room, innocence replaced with eyes full of pain, wisdom, fire, and old age that didn't belong there. Only Hawkeye got his innocent look at the moment. "That's goes for you four as well."

"Yes sir." Havoc replied with a smirk, looking up from his paperwork with mischievous eyes.

Ed narrowed his eyes. "Were you not listening, Lieutenant?"

"Well, what am I supposed to call you then?" Havoc asked. "I don't want to call you Major, because it makes me feel down that a kid is a higher rank than me, and you don't want to be called sir, so what?"

Ed shrugged. "You can figure that out for yourself."

"Aww, you're no help." Breda replied, leaning back in his seat, throwing his pen down, and ignoring his paperwork.

Fuery and Falman shook their heads in quiet amusement, but kept working. They didn't want to get on the bad side of Hawkeye.

Ed smirked. "Good."

The doors to the inner office slammed open and Colonel Mustang stood there, glaring at his youngest subordinate. "I thought I heard your voice. In. Now." He stepped to the side and pointed into his office.

The smirk Ed was wearing dropped to be replaced with a scowl.

Mustang closed the door and stalked over to his desk. He sat behind his desk and slammed his hand down onto it. "Fullmetal, you were supposed to return yesterday. I knew that, Lieutenant Hawkeye knew that, your brother knew that, and I know you knew that. This mission was supposed to be done weeks ago, but you kept getting hurt and having to go to the hospital. I could have passed the mission on to someone else, but I wanted you to do it because I wanted an easy mission for your first mission. So, you are basically, weeks late with this mission, but I can't hold that against you with everything that happened."

Ed frowned. "So?"

"I want to know why you didn't return yesterday." Mustang explained.

Ed stood up, marched over to the desk, and threw his report onto Mustang's desk. He sat back at the couch with a huff. "It's in the report."

Mustang raised a brow and picked up the folder. He flipped through the report with an impassive face. "Your job was to inspect the coalmines, not take down the military officers there."

"Well, they were corrupt and I didn't like them." Ed scoffed. He threw his feet onto the table in front of him.

"Feet off, Fullmetal." Mustang ordered without looking up from the report.

Ed smirked at him and kept his feet on the table.

Mustang's brow twitched in annoyance. "You sold the deed to the town back to them?"

"Yep. They seemed very happy about that." Ed replied cheekily.

Mustang smirked. "Interesting, Fullmetal. You are definitely not like other alchemists, or soldiers for that matter, I have met. Alchemist be thou for the people, isn't that right, hero of the people?"

Ed quirked an eyebrow. "Hero of the what? What are you talking about, Mustang?"

"That's the name that the people in Youswell are passing around and it's even reached here to Central before you even got back." Mustang replied, amusement hidden in his eyes.

"Hero of the….." Ed grumbled to himself. "Why though?"

"You're the only state alchemist that has the guts to go against the military and do what you think is right, not caring what anyone else in the military has to say or being afraid that you will get in trouble for it." Mustang threw the report to the side. "Like being a day late to turn the report in, which would get you warning, but if you keep doing it, I would have to court martial you."

Ed looked at his boss lazily. "Would you really court martial me? I don't even want to be here."

"I might court martial you." Mustang replied without giving anything away.

"What do you know of the Philosopher stone?" Ed asked abruptly.

Mustang masked his surprised at the question. "Why?"

"Al was asking about it and he wants to go on a search for it." Ed grudgingly explained.

"It's a fool's search. I don't even know if it truly exists." Mustang replied. "You can spend years searching for it and never get any closer to it than when you started."

"Sounds like an impossible mission." Ed replied. He rolled his tensed shoulders and looked up at the ceiling in thought.

Mustang raised a brow. "You sound interested, shorty."

Ed's brow twitched and he jumped to his feet, pointing a shaky, but aggressive finger at Mustang. "WHO THE HELL IS SO SMALL THAT A MIDGET BEATS HIM IN HEIGHT?"

"Well, now that you ask, I would have to say you." Mustang replied nonchalantly.

Ed growled and plopped back down in his seat. "So, the stone?"

"I'm not an expert on it. But I know it amplifies your alchemy and bypasses the laws of alchemy." Mustang explained. "Why does your brother want such a thing? The military might tail you because you want such a dangerous item that can destroy us all."

Ed snorted. "Like I'm going to tell you anything."

Mustang leaned back in his seat and with his elbows on the armrests of the chair, folding his hands in the air. "And why not?"

"Because I know what you'll do." Ed narrowed his eyes. "If I tell you anything promising, you'll report it directly to the Higher-Ups so you can get more points around here so you can get promoted."

"Then you don't know me." Mustang replied evenly. "I don't turn my back on my team."

Ed raised a brow. "Do I look like an idiot? Al isn't in the military."

"No, but his brother is and said brother is on my team. I'm not about to turn information in on the younger brother when the older brother is on my team. That's the perfect way to lose trust." Mustang retorted. He looked at Ed with calculating eyes. "I know you did something incredibly stupid and dangerous to lose your arm and leg, and I'm going to figure out what."

"Do you feel the need to know everything about everyone?" Ed growled in annoyance.

"Just my team." Mustang replied, not bothered at all by Ed's annoyance.

Ed sighed. "Can we just finish the report?"

Mustang picked the report back up and leafed through it again. "Everything seems to be in order. I'm actually surprised that you did it all correctly, with correct grammar and punctuation too."

Rolling his eyes, Ed looked back at the ceiling. "I take pride in my work."

"With everything in order, I can get it filed away quickly." Mustang said.

"So, I can leave?" Ed asked hopefully.

"Not yet. I need to ask you what you plan to research or study." Mustang said, tossing the report to the side once more.

Ed blinked. "What?"

Mustang sighed. "A state alchemist has a yearly assessment when he gives a report of his research or he has a practical assessment. Just something to prove his skills so he can keep his state alchemist title."

"Oh, I don't know what I'm going to research yet." Ed replied.

"Well, you better figure it out soon." Mustang said. "Go talk to Lieutenant Hawkeye now about getting your gun and lessons."

"Yes sir." Ed replied stiffly, but made no move to get up.

Mustang sighed and put the pen he just picked up back down. "Fullmetal, I have work to do. What do you need?"

"Do I really need to get a gun?" Ed asked.

"All officers are required to have a gun, which includes state alchemists, no matter the age." Mustang replied.

Ed raised a brow. "And what if an eight year old became a state alchemist? Would you really make him get a gun?"

"I would wait until he was a teenager, but that is only me. The final decision would fall to the officer's superior." Mustang explained.

"And why are you making me get a gun?" Ed demanded.

"I think you are old enough to be able to handle it and it will be useful to you. Plus, you've used one before. You understand that a gun isn't a toy." Mustang explained.

Ed shrugged. "Do I really have to carry it all the time?"

"Only when you are on duty, which will probably be all the time as you will be traveling all over the place to do missions." Mustang replied, shifting his papers around on his desk.

Ed turned calculating eyes onto Mustang. "Colonel, I'll obey all your order and do the missions without complaint if you allow me to take side trips after I complete my mission. Al and I want to see more of the country and I want to see how different people use alchemy….and I would also like to do some research on the Philosopher Stone."

"Why do you want to research it? It's a fool's search." Mustang asked.

"I just figured I would research it since Al is curious about it. I think we should research something he wants to for once. In the past, we've always researched what I wanted to." Ed explained carefully. "And I do want to learn more about it."

Mustang leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling as he thought. "As long as you listen to my orders, carry your gun with you at all times, and call me regularly, I can let you do what you want after missions to a certain degree."

"Why do I need to call you?"

"So I know you haven't gone AWOL." Mustang replied.

"So, if I agree to those three terms, I can research the philosopher stone and take side trips?" Ed concluded.

Mustang nodded his head. "You also have to return here every few weeks to give me your report of everything you've done the weeks you were gone, even if it wasn't part of your original mission. I want information on your side trips."

"Why?"

"Because I want to know what you are doing to make sure you are safe and so I know how many enemies you will have hunting you down." Mustang explained.

Edward looked at Mustang annoyed. "I'm not going to go around making enemies."

"Not going to stop people from hating you." Mustang said knowledgably. "So, what do you say?"

"You got yourself a deal, Mustang." Ed replied.

"Then go get your gun." Mustang said as he picked his pen up to get back to work.

Edward sighed, stood up, and left the office. "Hey Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Riza looked up at her superior. "Yes, Major Elric?"

"Mustang wants you to take me to get my gun and to teach me how to use it now." Edward explained to her quietly so she was the only one who could hear him.

Hawkeye smiled gently at him and nodded her head. "Let's go, Major Elric."

"Aww, why does Hawkeye get to leave while we're stuck here doing paperwork?" Havoc whined as he watched the Major and Lieutenant leave the office.

Edward fell into step behind the First Lieutenant and stared at the ground like a little boy who was following his mother to be punished.

Hawkeye looked back at him with a gentle, sad smile. "It won't be that bad, Major."

Ed shook his head in disagreement. It was easy for her to use a gun. It's all she had. She didn't use alchemy or swords. A gun was all she had for protection. So a gun is easy for her to use. Anyone who doesn't use alchemy can use a gun easily, especially a war veteran.

The young alchemist looked up when they reached the equipment room. They stopped in front of the desk. Behind the desk was a young private who looked around eighteen.

"Lieutenant…." He looked at Ed uncertainly until Ed flashed his watch. "Major." The private saluted. "What can I do for you?"

"Get us a .41 caliber, a rifle, a sniper rifle, a Walther P99, a semi-automatic pistol, a shotgun, and a 9mm pistol." Hawkeye ordered.

Ed looked at the Lieutenant confused. "Why so many?"

"I'm going to teach you how to use all types of guns, but the gun you'll be carrying and really need to know how to use is the 9mm pistol." Hawkeye explained when the private left to the get the guns and bullets.

When the private came back with them, Hawkeye and Ed took them and left for the shooting ranger. Hawkeye placed the guns down in a station and got earmuffs for herself and Ed. She handed a pair to Ed and began to explain how each gun works and showed Ed how to load the gun, then unloaded it so Ed could load it himself. Usually she would explain one gun, then let the soldier learn that gun and practice with it first, but she knew Ed was a prodigy and knew he could learn it all at once.

Once they got through learning all about the guns and how to load them, Hawkeye and Ed put their ear muffs on. Hawkeye picked the rifle up and handed it to Ed. She helped him hold it correctly and directed him through the process of aiming and shooting it.

Through the whole teaching process, she only had to correct Ed one time or not at all on the correct way to use each gun. He was taking these lessons very seriously and maturely and for that, Hawkeye was grateful. It showed that he really understood how dangerous guns were in immature, ignorant hands.

The two officers spent the whole day in the shooting range with Ed learning and becoming a pro at guns in a short amount of time. It showed just how much of a prodigy Ed really was. The aiming took the longest and was the hardest part for Ed, but by the end of the day, he got it down.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye thanks for teaching me." Ed said as he looked at the black 9mm pistol that was handed to him by the private behind the desk in the equipment room. He took it warily and checked for the bullets in the gun and that the safety was on.

Hawkeye nodded approvingly as she watched Ed. Most kids would be gleeful at the idea of getting a gun and start pretending to shoot it around, not worrying about the safety. It showed just how responsible and wise Ed was.

"It was no problem, Major Elric." Hawkeye replied warmly. She, personally, thought Edward was too young to get a gun, but at the same time understood why Mustang wanted him to have a gun. Having lived through and fought in a war taught her the dangers of the world and it was best to have as much protection as possible. And now Edward had that in the forms of alchemy, hand-to-hand combat, and his use and knowledge of all weapons.

Edward slipped the gun into his coat pocket.

"We should report back to Colonel Mustang." Hawkeye said.

Edward sighed irritably. He just had a long day of using guns, the most hated weapon for him, and now the Lieutenant wanted to take him back to that man. So troublesome.

"Just keep your gun away from your brother. I don't want either of you getting shot." Hawkeye replied as she led the young major out of the equipment room. "Major, I should also inform you that when you shoot your gun, you are to fill out a form explaining why you fired, who you fired at, and how many times so you can get a refill of bullets."

"Why do I need to fill out a form?" Edward asked confused.

"So we know that you fired your gun and keep track of your bullets so we can prove that it wasn't your gun involved in a murder if there is one." Hawkeye explained.

"Seems like a lot of work just for bullets." Edward replied.

"Needs to be done if you don't want to be the main suspect for a murder," Hawkeye said.

Edward shrugged. Honestly, he didn't expect to ever use his gun. He would carry it because of his deal with Mustang, but he would probably forget about it. He was also planning to keep it hidden from his little brother. Only one of them should have to be burdened by the thought of a gun being with them.

"Hey Ed, Lieutenant Hawkeye," Major Hughes greeted in the hallway. He stopped and spun on his heels to walk with them. "Where are you two coming from?"

"Shooting range." Ed replied, frowning.

Hughes stared between the two. "S-shooting…range? Why were you there?"

"Colonel Mustang asked me to teach Major Elric how to use guns." Hawkeye replied.

"A GUN!" Hughes shouted, startling a few soldiers around. His fatherly side was coming out to protect the young Elric from the hardships of adulthood. He grabbed Ed's shoulder and looked at him urgently. "Ed, please tell me you weren't assigned a gun."

Ed grimaced and pulled his gun out of his coat pocket to show it to Hughes.

"I'm going to murder Roy." Hughes growled. Anger was flashing in his eyes with a mutinous expression on his face. "I am seriously going to murder him this time. He's gone too far this time."

"Be careful where you say those kinds of things, Major. One might think you actually will and report you." Hawkeye warned.

Hughes eyes flashed dangerously. "Maybe I am serious. No kid should have a gun. Hell, no kid should be in the military."

Edward pocketed his gun. "I don't like it either, but don't kill the Colonel, Hughes."

"Why not?" Hughes asked dangerously.

"We have a deal and I think he is the only superior that will give me this deal." Edward explained. "All the others would make me follow the military rules to the book. With Mustang, I don't have so I don't need a uniform or need to salute him. I like it. He's probably the only superior I'll get like that."

"What deal?" Hughes asked.

Edward smirked. "That's for me to know and for you to never find out!"

"Little punk." Hughes said good-naturedly.

Edward froze in mid-step and slowly turned his head to Hughes with a twitching eye and frown. "WHO THE HELL IS SO MICROSCOPIC THAT A SUBATOMIC PARTICLE IS BIGGER THAN HIM?"

Hughes held his hands up in defense and took a few steps away from the young major who could easily destroy him. "Relax, Ed, I didn't say that much and never will."

Ed's brow twitched, but he backed down. "You better not." He hissed.

"You really need to control that small temper of yours, Fullmetal."

"SMALL?" Ed screamed. "I am not SMALL!"

"Roy!" Hughes said angrily, ignoring Ed. "I have a bone to pick with you."

Mustang stopped teasing Ed and looked at Hughes, all teasing gone from his face and voice. "Yeah? About what?"

Hughes pointed at Ed. "Him having a gun. Why the hell did you order him to have a gun? He's twelve!"

"I trust my subordinate to be able to handle a gun. I want him to have as much protection as he can have. He's going to have to have a gun eventually. It's best he learns now so he will be ready for everything. Don't question my motives, Maes." Mustang replied.

"I'll question them when I think you're making a mistake." Maes argued.

Edward rolled his eyes and walked away. Personally, he didn't want the gun and agreed with Hughes, but would take it if it got him the deal with Mustang. If those two wanted to argue about it in the middle of the hallway with soldiers all around that was their problem. It was getting late and he wanted to go back to his dorm.

"Al, I'm back!" Edward yelled when he entered the dorm.

"Brother, you've been gone all day. Where have you been? I thought you were just turning in a report." Al demanded as he came out of the kitchen, wielding a wooden spoon.

The sight of it and what Al said made Ed laugh. He doubled over and wiped a tear from his eye. "You sound and look like a scolding mother."

Al paused, thought about what he said and looked at the wooden spoon in his hand, and laughed. "It's like when mom would come out of the kitchen and scold us when we would come inside covered in mud."

Edward laughed and collapsed on the couch. "Then she would get a better look at us and laugh. We would be completely covered in it that our hair looked brown instead of gold."

"Then she would drag us outside by our ears or shirts and get the hose and hose us down." Al leaned against the back of the couch as he thought about that day. "Which ended up in a water war between the three of us."

Edward smiled at the memory. He really missed his mom. Why did she have to die? If she didn't, then he and Al wouldn't be here in a military dorm, Edward wouldn't be a state alchemist, he wouldn't have two metal limbs, they would probably never have trained under Izumi, and they would still be home in Resembool with their mom and Winry.

"So, why are you late?" Al asked, breaking his brother from his train of thoughts.

"I had some work I needed to do at Central Command." Edward explained. "Were you making dinner?"

"Yep, stew."

"It was my day to cook though." Edward protested.

Al smiled sadly. "Let's face it, brother, you are busy with your military work. If we took turns cooking, we won't eat until ten at night because you get home late because unexpected things happen. I'll do the cooking. You just focus on work."

"It's not fair to push that on you, Al." Edward said.

"It's not a problem, brother. I need to feel as if I'm doing something to take care of us. And if this is all I can do, I'll do it. I'll be the chef and you'll be the source of our income so we both have a job to do in taking care of us." Al said.

"And we both work on keeping this place clean." Edward said.

Al looked at his brother with a sly grin. "You are such a neat freak, brother. You better hope that no one in the military founds out about that. You'll be teased merciless if the guys find out about you being such a clean freak."

Edward stiffened at the thought. "Oh, shit."

Al laughed and went back into the small kitchen to finish the stew.

While Al finished cooking, Edward got up to look around the dorm. It wasn't that big, which was fine for the boys. They were probably going to spend most of their time traveling and wouldn't need to use Ed's dorm that much. There was a bathroom, one bedroom with one bed (the dorm rooms were supposed to be accommodated for only one person), a living room, and a small kitchen with a small table with two chairs. All the walls were a light green color and the carpet was tan. The bedroom had a dresser, a wardrobe, a nightstand with an alarm clock on it, and a bed. In the living room was a couch, a desk in the corner, and a coffee table. On his desk was a pile of books and research notes. This room was obviously one of the nicer ones reserved for someone of the rank of major or a state alchemist, which Ed was both of those.

"Hey Al, I talked to Mustang earlier." Edward called into the kitchen.

"Yeah? About what?" Alphonse asked, poking his head out of the kitchen.

"The Philosopher Stone." Edward watched Al look at him surprised. "We made a deal. Mustang is going to let us do what we want after I finish my mission so we have time to find dad. Also, a state alchemist needs to turn in yearly research or have a practical to keep their state certification. I decided to do my research on the Philosopher Stone in our travels. I thought it was time we researched something you wanted to. We researched Human Transmutation because I wanted to, so we'll research the Philosopher Stone for you and try to find it, but we don't need it for anything. I don't have a problem with prosthetic limbs."

Al grinned at his brother and propelled himself from the kitchen doorway over to the couch where Edward was sitting once more. He jumped on top of his brother and hugged him. "You are the absolute best big brother ever!"

Edward laughed and pushed his brother off him and onto the floor. "But the Colonel thinks it's a fool's search. I want to prove him wrong by finding it."

Al rolled his eyes. "Oh, honestly brother, I thought you were doing this for me."

"I am. Proving the Colonel wrong is just a bonus." Edward replied with an evil gleam in his eyes.

Al laughed and got off the floor. "The stew is done if you want to eat."

"STEW!" Ed yelled excitedly and ran into the kitchen with his brother.

A/N: I know nothing about guns so that's why I didn't explain it.

I'm having Ed use a gun because in Brotherhood Hawkeye gave her gun to Ed and Ed said he knew how to use. So, I'm guessing he was taught by someone and I chose Hawkeye since she seems to be the best at using guns.

Please Review!


	14. Chapter 14:The Merciful Knight Alchemist

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Thanks for reviewing!

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"Alchemists be thou for the people."- Edward Elric

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 14: The Merciful Knight Alchemist

"Elric? Shorty? Bean? Edo? Miniscule? Fullmetal Pipsqueak?"

"Havoc, tell me, do you hope to get married and have a family someday?" Edward asked through clenched teeth.

"Yes, as soon as I find the perfect woman, Edo." Havoc replied.

Edward grinded his teeth together and pulled his hair in frustration. "Then I'm warning you to cut it out with the names. I don't like being called s-…..that 's' word."

Havoc thought back to everything he said in the last few minutes. "What? Small or short?" He asked confused.

Edward slammed his automail fist into Havoc's stomach. "Don't say either of those words."

Havoc doubled over, clutching his stomach, and dry heaving at his desk in the office. "Got it." He said painfully. "Do not use the 's' word."

Breda, who was watching the two in amusement, raised a brow. "What is wrong with the word small?"

"Can we say tiny or bean?" Fuery asked.

"Or miniscule?" Falman asked.

Clap!

When Hawkeye returned to the office, papers were lying all over the place, chairs were knocked over, and Havoc and Breda were hanging in the air by their ankles from hands sprouting from the ground. Fuery was tied to his chair with tape over his mouth and Falman had his arms locked to the table. Each of them had drawings on their face from a black market. And in big black letters on the wall, it said, "I'M NOT SMALL, YOU BASTARDS!" Mustang was standing in his office doorway looking shocked.

"What happened?" Hawkeye asked.

Havoc and the guys shared a look. "Edo got mad."

Hawkeye sighed. "You can't call a superior that."

"It's probably why he got so mad that he would do this." Mustang said, motioning to the office. His eye was twitching in irritation at his ruined office, but there was also some amusement in his eyes. Some, not a lot. It was mostly anger in his eyes.

"No, he got mad because we said….." Falman trailed off and looked nervously at Havoc. Mustang may be their commanding officer, but Havoc was the head of Mustang's unit, even if the unit didn't listen to him much because he was so laid back. [1]

Havoc crossed his arms and shook his head at Falman. Afraid of a little kid, so sad. "Small. He really hates the word small." Havoc explained. He gulped. "Can you get us down? All my blood is rushing to my head and I don't like it."

"Where is Fullmetal?" Mustang asked through gritted teeth. Really, all this because of the word small?

"Left after he did this." Breda replied.

"Hawkeye, find him while I free them." Mustang said.

Hawkeye entered the mess hall to find a big group of officers surrounding a table. Curious, she pushed through the crowd to find Edward and a Captain engaged in an arm wrestling contest. And of course, she noted, Edward was using his automail arm. No one but the Fuhrer, Doctor Young (the military doctor), Mustang and her knew the young alchemist had automail. She was also sure that he wanted to keep it that way and found a way to conceal the feeling of metal under his glove so the Captain wouldn't realize he was holding an automail hand. He could do that easily with how smart he is.

"Major Elric." Hawkeye said.

Edward grunted so she would know he was listening while he kept his eyes trained on the Captain.

"Colonel Mustang wants you back in the office now." Hawkeye said.

"Is that so? Why? I was just sitting there, doing nothing before." Edward replied.

Hawkeye sighed, while the other officers frowned. They weren't supposed to question the orders of their superiors, but Ed always did. It was probably because he was a teenager and teenagers hate being ordered around.

"I think he wants you to fix his office." Hawkeye explained.

"I haven't been in his office today. He shouldn't blame me for everything." Edward retorted.

"The outer office."

"Oh." Edward frowned and slammed the captain's hand on the table. "They had it coming."

"He beat me!" The Captain said shocked. "You cheated!"

"No, I didn't." Edward snarled.

"You can't go around beating up everyone that annoys you." Hawkeye said with forced patience. It was a teenage thing she kept telling herself. "Especially people from the same team as you."

Edward smirked as he stood up and walked out of the mess hall with Hawkeye. "I didn't beat them up. I only hit Havoc once. The rest of it was alchemy and I was going to release them soon. They just needed to be taught a lesson."

"This isn't how you punish people." Hawkeye replied with a strain in her voice.

Edward shrugged. "It's one of the ways my Master punished me."

"One of the…..forget it. I don't want to know what your training was like." Hawkeye said.

Edward laughed. "I wouldn't either. It was the worst six months of my life. Al and I almost died quite a few times in the first month."

"I thought this was your alchemy training." Hawkeye said confused.

"It was, but Master didn't focus just on Alchemy and besides the first month of training was just a trial to see if she would train us." Edward replied with a shrug.

Hawkeye raised a brow. "What was the trial?"

Edward visibly shuddered. "Survival Training. One month on an island with no alchemy. We only had a knife and had to survive with that. We also had to figure out what 'One is All, All is One' means. She left her employee on the island with us to make sure we didn't die, but he would attack us every day so we could learn how to fight. He, along with the fact that we've never done survival training before, almost killed us."

"How old were you?" Hawkeye asked.

"Seven."

Hawkeye stared at Edward. "Your teacher must have gone easy on you after you got passed the trial because you were so young."

"Easy?" Edward almost shouted, eyes wide. "Are you kidding? Worst six months ever!"

Hawkeye laughed. "How bad could it have been?"

"She didn't just teach us alchemy, which is what we begged her to teach us when we met her. But she has said 'to train the mind, we must first train the body' so she taught us martial arts and how to use weapons, along with much more like math, learning how to write properly with grammar and all, manners, life lessons, how to cook so we can take care of ourselves, etc." Edward grumbled, subconsciously rubbing his head where he had hit the ground so much from that training. "I hope to never have to go back to that training. She explained alchemy to us while she beat us up, saying that beating the shit out of us would help us learn to defend ourselves and toughen us up."

"And people complain about the training at the Military Academy." Hughes laughed as he clapped Ed on the shoulder.

Edward looked at Hughes with a blank look. "I would much prefer the Military Academy training then having to go back to Master and training under her again. If I went back for more training now, it would most likely be ten times worse than the first time." He looked down the hallway then back at Hughes. "And where did you come from?"

Hughes grinned at him, but didn't reply.

Hawkeye cleared her throat. "The Colonel is waiting."

Edward sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Can you two do me a favor and not tell anyone about what I just said about my training and all? I really don't want people knowing about it. It's not exactly a time I want to remember."

"No problem, Edo." Hughes said.

Edward twitched. "Don't call me that."

"But why? I heard Havoc call you it earlier, why can't I?" Hughes whined like a child.

"In case you didn't realize, Havoc was soon suspended in the air by his ankles after he said it." Edward replied. He narrowed his eyes after a moment of thinking. "And how did you hear that name? Were you spying on us? Don't you have anything to do, like work? I don't like being spied on, Hughes."

Hughes smiled nervously. "Well, look at the time. I have to return to work." He said quickly. Before he could go anywhere, Ed grabbed the sleeve of his jacket.

"You haven't been in the military that long and you are already scaring your seniors." Hawkeye said without turning around to look at the scene that just happened.

Edward shrugged. "It's not like I meant to. You all just know how to get on my nerves." He looked back at Hughes with an evil glint. "Now what should I do to you for your spying?"

Hughes grinned nervously. "I have an idea. What if I give you something so you won't kill me?"

The young Major raised a brow. "And what could you have that I would want?"

Hughes glanced at Hawkeye then bowed a little to whisper in Ed's ear. "I took pictures of the mess you caused in Mustang's office and everything you did to the team. I can give you copies if you want."

An evil grin spread across Ed's lips. "You got yourself a deal. You're free to go." He released Hughes's sleeve and the man immediately left.

Sighing, Hawkeye pushed the office door opened and stepped aside to let Edward enter and see the mess he made. The officers were free from their prisons by now and were working on picking on the chairs and papers. Falman was scrubbing at the walls with a sponge and a bucket of soap and water at his feet. The hands that Edward created were still in the way, just a little destroyed from the Colonel releasing Havoc and Breda.

"Fullmetal, fix the floor." Mustang ordered immediately when he saw Edward and Hawkeye.

Shrugging, Edward clapped his hands and fixed the floor. "Can I leave now?"

The officers glared at Edward. He was the one who made the big mess that THEY WERE CLEANING UP!

"How about you help us clean up the mess you made, you little demon?" Havoc asked.

Ed's eye twitched. "Little?" He snarled. "No, you four will clean it up yourselves."

Breda smacked Havoc. "Nice going."

"So he hates all synonyms that refer to small." Havoc mumbled more to himself then to anyone else.

Mustang looked at the file he picked up off Hawkeye's desk. "Before you go, Fullmetal." Ed froze with his hand on the doorknob, mentally cursing himself for not being faster. "I got your next mission for you. You're heading east to a city called Akran. Your brother can go with you on this one."

Sighing, Edward turned around and caught the folder Mustang just threw at him. "Remember our deal?"

"Remember you have to finish the mission before you can start the search." Mustang replied.

Everyone in the office looked confused, except Ed, who started skimming through the mission file as he walked away.

"What was the boss talking about with…damn, what do I call him?" Havoc grumbled.

"We don't know what they were talking about." Hawkeye said.

"Who cares about that right now? What do I call him?" Havoc mumbled, pulling at his hair in frustration.

Breda snorted. "Is that all you care about?"

"As of right now, yes." Havoc replied.

"How about a game of chess?" Breda offered.

Havoc shrugged while Breda set the game up. Hawkeye narrowed her eyes at the two and looked around at the still messy office. But she only turned to Mustang. "What mission did you give him?"

"I don't know. I just chose a mission file and gave it to him to get him out of here for a while. I don't want him causing another mess around here." Mustang said irritably.

"At least you weren't part of the mess." Havoc grumbled as he rubbed at his ankles.

Al stared at the mission file his brother just shoved in his face when they sat down on the train. He blinked, looked at his brother, and blinked again. "We're going to some place called Akran to…." He looked at the file. "to meet a group of mechanics and military officers because they want the help of an alchemist to escort them the rest of the way to East City, because East City is a dangerous place right now."

Edward nodded his head.

Al scrunched his brows in thought. "Wouldn't it make more sense to send an alchemist better known? The military might not trust two little kids wandering up to them and claiming to be the help that was sent."

"Unknown alchemist would be great if the word state didn't have to be added." Edward said, before sighing. "It would make more sense or we should have given them a heads up, but it's Mustang."

"Maybe if you wore the military uniform." Al suggested.

Ed wrinkled his nose in disgust. He hated those uniforms.

"Why don't you wear it?" Al asked curiously, ignoring his brother's faces with ease.

*Flashback*

Edward crossed his arms and glared at the wall in Mustang's office. It was only his third day here and he hated it already. His commanding officer was sitting at his desk, flipping through papers.

"Well, Fullmetal,"

The young alchemist cringed at the name, but hid it well. He didn't hate the name, but he didn't like it that much. It was just another reminder of his mistake. Another reminder that he would have to get used to. That was the only option he had.

"There are only a few problems with your profile." Mustang continued, missing his subordinate's flinch at the name as he was still looking at his papers.

"Like what?" Ed demanded, placing a hand on his hip and glaring at his commander with narrowed eyes.

"Your medical history has a bunch of gaps in it. The most I got is everything from when you were born to five year olds, then it is empty until you are eleven and got your automail." Mustang explained as he flipped through the medical history. "Other than that, Doctor Young said your physical was good, she gave you the shots you needed, and you are in great condition. You are mentally stable as well. But I need to know about your medical history from five to ten and what your mother died of."

"Why do you need to know what she died of?" Edward demanded.

Mustang sighed, put the folder down, and looked up at Edward. "So we can check to see if you inherited the disease and if it is just lying dormant."

Sighing in frustration, Edward started explaining his medical history and the disease that his mother had for years before it killed her.

When Edward finished, Mustang nodded his head and finished writing it down. "There is also a problem about the automail."

"What about it?" Edward snapped defensively.

"It was put in your medical report that you got it a year ago. I know, for a fact, that automail rehabilitation takes three years." Mustang answered, putting his pen down and looking at Ed closely.

Edward shrugged and plopped down on the couch. He threw his feet on the coffee table. "I hate being immobile so I did it in one."

"Feet off my table." Mustang ordered.

Growling in annoyance, Edward dropped his feet to the ground.

The older alchemist continued with the conversation as if he didn't interrupt it. "Were you trying to kill yourself?" Without waiting for a reply, he continued. "I assume since you are wearing gloves, a jacket, and a coat that you want to hide your automail. If you want I can make it so only a few people know about it."

Ed looked at his commander with relief, but hid it under an angry and annoyed expression. "Who would know about it?"

"Doctor Young, the Fuhrer, Lieutenant Hawkeye, and myself. Anyone else who knows will be your problem since you let them find out." Mustang replied.

Edward inclined his head forward in a short nod of his head in his form of thanks. "Is that all?"

Mustang flipped through Edward's profile. He rested one of his hands on his cheek "Your fighting abilities have already been proven by you saving the train, so that is fine. You are physical and mentally healthy, though with a great hate for your father. It is surprising that you are in such great shape. Doctor Young was actually shocked by the amount of muscle you have. She's never seen a kid your age with as much muscle as you have."

"Most kids my age aren't trained." Edward retorted.

Mustang raised a brow at that. Trained? He knew the kid was trained in alchemy, but that wouldn't get him all the muscle he had. How hard had he been trained? He must have been rather young and trained rather hard. "That's all, Fullmetal. I don't see anything else wrong. You may leave."

Edward turned confused eyes to his commanding officer as he stood up. He didn't leave though. He kept his eyes trained on Mustang.

In return, Mustang raised a brow. "You were so eager to get out of here before."

"The uniform," Edward replied, staring at Mustang's blue military uniform with extreme dislike and frowned at the thought of having to wear it. "I need one before I can go on any missions and begin work, so where do I get one?"

Mustang frowned at Edward. True, officers needed to be in uniform at all times when on duty. Being out of uniform would get an officer court-martialed. But Ed was just a little kid in an adult's world, whether by force or by his own free will he didn't know. Either way, he was still a kid and deserved the chance to be a kid in any way that was possible for him. If he had to wear the uniform along with being in the military and going on missions, his whole childhood was gone.

"Well?" Edward demanded impatiently. He tapped his automail foot on the ground hard, making a clinking noise that echoed around them.

"No." Mustang replied, grabbing a form from nearby and began filling it out.

Edward stopped talking and blinked. "What?"

"No uniform for you." Mustang said, keeping his eyes on his paper.

"What? Why?" Edward asked, blinking in confusion. "Not that I'm complaining or anything. I'm just wondering why you don't want to give me one. I am part of the military, right?"

Mustang looked up from his paper, making the young boy squirm. It felt like the man was examining him. "You are, but I don't want to give you one. There is no point in you having one. You'll be traveling the whole time and doing missions. You won't even be in the office that much. Besides, it's obvious that you hate it and would probably be a brat and not put it on to annoy the higher-ups. It seems pointless to get one for you and waste money to get it tailored when you won't be here that much."

"Tailored? What the hell do you mean by that, bastard?" Edward shouted angrily.

Mustang rolled his eyes at his subordinate's reaction, but smirked. "Honestly, Fullmetal. Firstly, I can court-martial you for calling me names like that. And secondly, even the smallest size wouldn't fit you perfectly. It would be a little too loose on you and we would have to tailor it." [2]

Edward's eye twitched violently.

"Don't start with me, Fullmetal. It's the truth." Mustang went back to his paper. "You can leave now, Fullmetal."

With one last glare, Edward stomped out of the office, slamming the door shut behind him.

*End Flashback*

Edward shrugged. "He just said I didn't need to have one."

In Central, Mustang put the new uniform that just arrived in the closet in his office. It was Edward's tailored uniform. He told the young boy that he didn't need a uniform, but he got one and got the measurements from examining the boy and the medical report telling him the height and weight of the boy helped him figure out the right measurements for him. He wouldn't give it to him. The uniform was just so he had one incase anything came up that Edward needed to be in uniform for.

"What are these people afraid they'll run into on their way to East City?" Al asked.

Edward shrugged. "Remember that train we saved from the Eastern Liberation Front?"

"How could I forget? It's the first thing we've ever done to save people." Al replied with a smile.

Edward nodded his head. "Well, there are more people from it then just the group on the train. They are running around, committing crimes and attacking military personal. They just want an alchemist or two," He smiled at his brother. "To help the situation. And since we've dealt with them before, I guess we are good candidates for this mission."

"Why are they escorting these mechanics? I mean, what is so important about them?" Al asked.

"I didn't ask. But now that you mention it, I should have, but Mustang didn't explain the mission to me. He just threw the file at me before going back into his office, so I left without reading it. We can ask them when we meet them." Edward replied. He stretched his legs out in front of him. "It should take about four hours to get to Akran. They are supposed to meet us at the train station and we are to lead them to East City."

"Why don't we meet them in New Optain? We're just going to have to backtrack to New Optain and head to East City from there." Al said with a frown.

"Apparently New Optain is just as dangerous. The whole of the East Area is dangerous. They are cowards, that's all. Besides, we won't be taking any transportation there. We have to walk. These mechanics must be valuable asserts to the military if they are doing all this for them. Either way, they are just wasting our time. I don't really care what they do. I have more important things I could be doing, but no. I have to escort military officers who can't handle a few terrorists on their own and need two kids to protect them." Edward muttered, staring out the window.

Al sighed. "Brother, we should help people in the military too. We can't just pick and choose who we help. We should help anyone who needs help."

Edward scoffed and looked at his brother with narrowed eyes. "I'm not about to go help someone who won't try to help themselves first. If they are just waiting around for someone to come save them, they can forget it. I'm not helping them. They need to have the will to fix something by themselves. Waiting around will never get anything done. They need to stand up and fix it themselves."

Al shook his head. "Your philosophies, brother, are wise, but can be considered rude and can be viewed as selfish by others."

"How is it selfish to want them to try to save themselves without outside help?" Edward retorted.

"It's not. I'm just saying no one, except me, knows your philosophies. You have a way of telling people that you won't help them, in the rudest ways possible. They might think you are being mean and selfish for not helping them. They probably can't understand what you are trying to teach them by making them try to save themselves first." Al explained calmly.

Edward sighed and laid down on the bench. "If they can't figure it out, then they are idiots who will never receive help from the Fullmetal Alchemist."

Al rolled his eyes and smiled. "What about me? Don't I get mentioned at all?"

Ed opened one eye to look at Al. "Hmm, but saying the Fullmetal Alchemist and Al sounds stupid. You need a name like mine."

"But only State Alchemists get second names." Al pointed out.

"It will just be unofficial since you will probably be coming on most missions with me." Edward replied. "What shall I call?"

Al almost groaned at the thought of his brother coming up with a name for him. His brother tended to be rather bad with names and always went to the extreme with everything. Having a name picked by his brother meant it was going to horrible and Al would hate it, but his brother would love it and refuse to call him anything but that name for weeks, maybe months, until Al finally relented to the name.

After a few minutes of thought, going over everything in his head, Edward's eyes lit up and he sat up to look at Al with a huge grin and a mischievous glint with amusement in his eyes. "I got the perfect name."

Al sighed, ready to accept his fate. "What is it?"

"The Merciful Knight Alchemist." Edward said dramatically.

Al blinked in surprise. He said the name a few times in his head and out loud, letting the name roll off his tongue. His face broke into a big grin. "I love the name, brother. I thought you would give me a horrible name, but that is actually great."

Edward frowned for a second before grinning again. "What? Do you really think I would let my baby brother walk around with a horrible name while his older brother is walking around with an awesome one? No way! It would ruin my reputation."

"What reputation?" Al retorted playfully.

"The one I'm working on right now, duh!" Edward replied, leaning forward and knocking on his brother's forehead like he was testing to see if his head was hollow after such a stupid question.

Al knocked his brother's hand away and smiled. He loved times like this with his brother, where they could just act their age and have fun together like kids their age are supposed to be doing. It gave him time to forget his brother was in the military, had two metal limbs and they were heading off on a mission.

"So why is it Merciful Knight Alchemist?" Al asked with a grin.

"Because you are compassionate, kindhearted, and very sympathetic, the complete opposite of me." Edward smirked at that. He enjoyed being evil. It was a lot fun.

Al laughed. "Brother, you're not evil. You do care about others and help them. You just…." He stopped as he searched for the right word. "….just do it in a hard way? You make sure they learn something from the experience. I just go and help someone, anyone, which makes me look like the most caring and nice person ever. But you care too, under all the stubbornness and recklessness. You just don't show it like I do."

Edward shrugged. He didn't want to be thought of as nice. Nice people get walked over and always get pushed into doing things they didn't want to do. Being a bastard, like Mustang, is how to make it and not get blackmailed. But Edward would never be like Mustang. He would help people and never deceive anyone to get what he wants.

"Knight comes from the fact that we are going to help people, save anyone that needs it. You are merciful to almost everyone. It's why you are the Merciful Knight Alchemist." Edward finished. He smirked.

Al, who noticed the smirk, groaned. "What is it now?"

Grinning now, Edward stood on his seat, facing Al. He pretended to be holding a microphone. "The terrible duo who roams the country, helping anyone they meet that needs it. We are the Alchemist Brothers, the Fullmetal Alchemist and…." He stopped and looked at Al expectantly.

Al's face was a deep red. His brother was being so loud that everyone in the car was looking at them. He looked up at his waiting brother, who had amusement shining in his eyes. Edward almost never felt embarrassed and if he did, he hid it under his anger.

Sighing, Al stood on his bench. He knew what his brother was doing. His brother was trying to get them to act their age because he knew that was what he wanted. He held an imaginary microphone in his hand. "And the Merciful Knight Alchemist!"

The boys stared at each other with huge grins. Al was glad to have such a great brother who would do the most ridiculous, but very fun, things for him. Edward was just happy to see such a big smile on his little brother's face.

The train suddenly lurched violently. Ed and Al flew from their seats, smacking their heads together. They fell into a heap on the ground between the benches in pain.

"I hate trains." Edward moaned.

"This is your fault." Al muttered.

Edward laughed. "Never a peaceful and safe day when the Alchemist Brothers are around."

Al laughed lightly. "Too bad. Maybe a peaceful life would be awesome."

"Yeah, with mom in Resembool." Edward murmured.

A man's face suddenly appeared above the boys. "Are you boys okay?"

"Never better." Edward pulled himself up to his seat and rubbed his head.

"Yeah, this kind of pain is nothing compared to training." Al added as he sat back in his seat.

Edward and Alphonse looked at each other and shuddered a little at the thought of their training under their master.

"If you're sure." The man said and walked away confused.

"Now I'm taking a nap." Edward declared as he laid on the bench and closed his eyes.

"I swear sleeping is your favorite all-time activity." Al muttered.

"Don't swear, Al." Ed barked.

Al rolled his eyes. "Hypocrite." His brother didn't let him swear because it's bad, but he swears all the time. It doesn't matter to Al. He doesn't like swearing. He just hates hypocrites. Well, not hate because his brother can be one at times. Hypocrites just annoy him greatly.

Al watched his brother sleep as the train continued forward. His brother slept and ate a lot more than a normal person. According to Winry it is normal for someone as young as Ed with two automail limbs to be so tired and hungry all the time. His body needs more energy to be able to handle the metal limbs.

Bored, Al pulled out a book to read for the rest of the train ride. He knew his brother wasn't going to wake up any time soon and he needed to do something to pass the time.

A/N: [1] Mustang is the commanding officer. Hawkeye is Mustang's body guard, personal aid, and secretary. Havoc is the head of the rest of the unit, but Hawkeye gets more respect than him because of her strictness and her being a higher rank. Havoc is so laid back that the others don't respect him as an authority figure. I did not make this up. I looked it all up. This is merely a note for anyone else who did not realize this.

[2] I said it would only be a little small because I was thinking of Fuery. He's only a little bigger than Ed so the size difference isn't a whole lot, in my opinion at least. You might think differently.

Please Review!


	15. Chapter 15: Challenge

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

A/N: I'm so annoyed right now. I was going to go see a movie this weekend with my dad and brother, but nooo. It figures the movie I want to see is not playing in any theaters in my area. Go figure. I don't even know why I am updating this right now with this frustration.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"Alphonse, no. No, dammit. You won't take him too. Give him back! He's my brother! Take my leg. Take my arm! Take my heart, ANYTHING, YOU CAN HAVE IT! Just give him back! HE'S MY LITTLE BROTHER, HE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT!"- Edward Elric

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 15: Challenge

Edward muttered 'stop it' and swatted at whatever was trying to disturb his sleep.

Al, who was kneeling in front of his brother, laughed and poked his brother again. It was always fun to wake his brother up in ways that annoyed him. His reactions were always amusing to watch. One time his brother clapped his hands and transmuted his blanket into a blanket demon and threw it at him so he could continue to sleep, but he ended up freezing and woke up anyway.

Grinning, Al whacked his brother hard in the stomach. His brother shot up from his seat, wide eyed and turning his head all over the place as if trying to figure out what is going on. His eyes stopped on Al and he raised a brow.

"We're in Akran. I thought you would like to know so you could get to work on your mission, but before you could know that you needed to wake up. I was just being thoughtful." Al told him innocently.

"Merciful Knight, why are you so mean to your older brother? I thought you loved me." Edward said dramatically as he fell back onto his seat with one hand covering his stomach and the other hanging limping over the edge of the seat. His eyes were closed halfway.

Al laughed. "Stop being so dramatic, _Fullmetal_."

Laughing, Edward sat back up and clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Well, Merciful Knight, we have a job to get to."

Al knocked his brother's hand away and reached under the bench to get his suitcase. "You mean you have a job to get to. I'm just here because I'm traveling with my older brother because he is my unofficial guardian and is supposed to watch me."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Stop trying to act all innocent. I'm your older brother, as you just said, so I know the true you."

Al smirked evilly. "You may, but no one else does, not even Winry."

"Yeah, you're an evil demon in disguise and I am the only one who has seen your evil side because you want to torture me but make it so no one else knows so they can't stop you." Edward swung his flesh arm around Al's shoulders and turned his head to smirk at Al.

"And no one shall ever figure my evil plan out!" Al declared, pushing his brother's arm away and running off into the crowd.

The smirk slipped off Ed's face faster than a bullet. "AL! Come back! You shouldn't run off in a crowded place like this!" The young state alchemist yelled, pushing through the crowd trying to catch up with his brother.

Al slowed down to allow his brother time to catch up to him.

Edward smacked the back of Al's head when he caught up with him. "Don't run away from me in a place this crowded. I don't want to lose you in an unknown place."

"I can take care of myself, brother." Al replied, rubbing the back of his head.

Edward shook his head. "I know you can. It's not a matter of that. We aren't invincible, Al. That's been proven already by me ending up in the hospital a couple weeks ago. We are still kids and aren't masters in alchemy or fighting yet. It's dangerous for kids to be running around, even if we are alchemists and have been trained. They will always be someone who is better than you."

"Sorry, brother. I know that, but I guess I was just having fun and didn't think about the trouble I could get myself in." Al replied.

Edward shrugged. "Now, where are those military guys?"

"Just look for the blue suits." Al replied.

Edward looked at Al blandly.

"Right, sorry, you already knew that." Al said, laughing lightly. "So, what's the problem?"

"Do you not see all the freakishly tall people around us?" Edward said, waving his arms all over the place.

Al chuckled. "Then let's move."

Edward and Alphonse moved over to a wall of the train station. They climbed onto the bench there so they could look around for the uniforms. Ed shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand. He looked at everyone, his eyes rested on a few people once so he could get a better look at them.

Two men really stood out in Ed's eyes. The first had long black hair tied in ponytail. On his right arm was a gauntlet with a familiar array on it. He was wearing a tan cloak and was staring at the Elric brothers. The second man was approaching the first man. He had dark blue eyes that made you feel like he was looking into your soul, short spiky black hair with the tips dyed red, and looked to be in his early twenties. Under his tan cloak was a gun in a holster and Ed could see a knife in a sheath strapped to his arm.

"I see a man over there." Al said, oblivious to the two men.

Edward moved one eye to where Al was pointing, but kept his other eye trained on the two men. He saw a man waiting by the entrance/exit to the train station. "Let's go then." He said hurriedly, already running towards the man. It wasn't safe to get into a fight with those two here, not with all these people around.

As they approached the man, Edward saw that he was a First Lieutenant. He had dull brown eyes that looked like they've seen a lot of horrors and short dark brown hair. "First Lieutenant." Edward said when he and his brother reached the man. "I suppose you are the man I am supposed to meet."

The First Lieutenant blinked. "What? What are you talking about, kid? I'm not here for you."

Smirking, Edward pulled out his watch and shook it in his hand. "Are you sure about that, Lieutenant?"

The Lieutenant stared in shock at the watch. "It's not possible. You're a kid."

"I'm Fullmetal." Edward said as he put his watch back.

Realization shined in the Lieutenant's eyes. "I remember now. A twelve year old boy passed the State Alchemist exam. Why did they send you though and who is he?" He motioned to Al, who was standing a few feet behind his brother.

"They sent me because I'm a state alchemist who is here to help you and you are not to question it." Edward snapped, narrowing his eyes at the man. He knew the ranks and he knew he was a higher rank then the man. The man shouldn't be questioning the orders of the higher ups.

"Sorry sir." The Lieutenant saluted briskly.

"And this," Ed motioned to his brother, "is Al. He's my little brother and works with me on some of my missions. I expect you to show the same respect to him as you do to me, understand?"

"Yes sir!"

Edward nodded his head. "What is your name, Lieutenant?"

"First Lieutenant Kyran Cluke." Kyran replied immediately.

Edward nodded his head and looked behind him again. He still saw Isaac watching him and his brother and that the second man has disappeared. "Major Edward Elric and my brother, Alphonse Elric. Where are the rest of the officers and the mechanics?"

"I am to lead you to them. So if you would follow me, sirs."

Edward kept his eyes locked with Isaac's as he walked out of the train station with his brother and the Lieutenant. Isaac narrowed his eyes at him and moved the side of his cloak aside to reveal a gun. He was challenging him! That….that…oh, Edward was going to make him pay the next time they met. No one dared to challenge him to a fight…to death, that's what Edward thought the sign meant, and got away from it.

"Brother, is something wrong?" Al asked when he noticed his brother not paying attention to what was in front of him.

"No, nothing, Al." Edward answered, looking at his brother with an easy and convincing fake smile.

Lieutenant Cluke looked over his shoulder at the two kids who were smiling and talking easily about alchemy like they were masters on the subject, which they probably were if the twelve year old passed the State Alchemist exam. The younger of the two, Al was his name Cluke believed, smiled brightly and made some motions with his arms as he talked about something called a transmutation circle and its design. Did those kids really get that excited over alchemy? He, personally, did not understand a word of what the boys were saying.

The Lieutenant led the boys down a back alley, around corners, and through all the back alleys. He noticed the boys frowning now at the thought of walking through alleys, probably because they were with a stranger, and were more alert than they were in the open. The major's shoulders were tensed and he narrowed his eyes. Al kept his eyes moving around, watching everything.

"You can relax. Nothing is going to jump out at you back here." Lieutenant Cluke told them.

"Like I'm about to trust someone we just met." Edward snapped, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Al sighed. "Sorry about my brother, Lieutenant. We just don't trust easily." He looked at his brother. "That's how you say it nicely, brother."

Ed stuck his tongue out at his brother. "You know that I'm not nice, Allie-kins."

Al blushed and hit his brother's arm. "Don't call me that, jerk."

"Don't call me a jerk." Ed replied snappishly.

"Don't call me Allie-kins. It sounds girly." Al retorted sharply.

Edward grinned wickedly. "I finally found something that annoys you. It took so long, Allie-kins."

Al frowned. He crossed his arms and stuck his lower lip out. "You're so mean, Eddie."

"Don't call me Eddie." Edward growled. "I hate that name. It's Edward or Ed."

"What about brother?" Al asked, raising a brow.

"Only you." Edward replied, grinning.

"I would hope so. Otherwise I would have another sibling that I never knew about." Al said, looking around the alley. He noticed the shadows beginning to move around them. "Who's there?"

Lieutenant Cluke raised a brow in surprise. These boys were much more alert than he expected kids their age to be. Most kids their age didn't pay attention to their surroundings, which was why they were kidnapped so easily. "You two can relax. It's just the rest of the officers and the mechanics you are going to travel with."

"Lieutenant Cluke, who are these kids? You were supposed to bring back a state alchemist to travel with us." A voice barked from the shadows.

Lieutenant Cluke reacted instantly. His feet snapped together and a hand flew to his forehead in a salute. "Lieutenant Colonel Myers, sir."

A man with short blond hair and deep dark green eyes that made you feel like you are falling through an abyss stepped out of the shadows. "At ease." His tone was harsh and one that barked no room for argument. "Who are they?"

"As hard as it may be to believe, sir, he," Cluke pointed to Edward, "is the state alchemist that was sent to help us. He is Major Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist and the other," He nodded to Al, "is Alphonse Elric, his younger brother."

"A kid? They sent kids to help us?" Myers growled, looking at the Elric brothers in disbelief, hatred, and distrust. "You may have been able to become a state alchemist with your knowledge of alchemy, but I doubt you can handle yourself in a fight which is what we needed a real State Alchemist for."

Edward glared at him, while Al smacked his face and ran his hand down his face. Why did everyone know just the right buttons to push to piss his brother off? Then again, it wasn't that hard to know which buttons to push. His brother was easily aggravated.

But his brother surprised him this time.

"You shouldn't talk like that about someone you don't know." Edward replied calmly, but with a hint of annoyance in his tone. "So, we're supposed to travel with you to East City because you are afraid of the Eastern Liberation Front attacking you guys? You don't really seem like a guy to ask for help, Lieutenant Colonel."

"I'm not, but they have been threats made by terrorists to attack us while we are traveling so the higher ups ordered this, not me." Myers replied, still glaring at the brothers.

Edward shrugged. "On your command, sir, we can leave whenever." He said annoyed. He knew he could only get away with disrespecting Mustang. All other higher ups would lecture him and possibly court-martial him for it.

Myers narrowed his eyes. "I still don't like this." He turned around and walked through the crowd of mechanics and officers that had come out of the shadows after the Lieutenant Colonel.

"I don't like him." Edward muttered to his brother.

"He does seem a little…..but he's a military man. It's expected." Al replied. "At least I don't have to deal with him and call him sir."

Edward whacked his brother's head. "Don't mock."

"You'll get used to him." Cluke told them.

"Just be happy you're only here for one mission. Try having to work with him every day. He's ruthless." A woman with the stars to show that she is a captain said. She had long amber hair in a ponytail and bright, round green eyes. "Captain Laura Sellick and that man as you know is Lieutenant Colonel Romulus Myers."

Al smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Captain."

Edward looked at the mechanics that were waiting for the order that they were leaving. "Captain, tell me why we are escorting mechanics to East City. There has to be some special reason why the military is escorting them. So, what is it?"

The Captain looked at him surprised. "Weren't you told before you came?"

Al laughed while Edward grinned abashedly at the officers. "Brother and his commanding officer don't really get along and the office was in chaos when brother got his mission so the Colonel never really explained the mission to him." He looked at Ed, who was grinning evilly. "That was your fault. You really need to stop torturing the lower ranking officers. They might become a higher rank than you some day and get back at you for all it."

Edward shrugged. "I'll take the challenge then. So, Captain?"

Captain Sellick looked at Lieutenant Cluke, who shrugged in a 'just tell them' way. "Well, these mechanics develop weapons, some of the most advanced weapons I have ever seen. These weapons could kill hundreds at a time. There are some who would use these weapons for evil purposes. They need the help of the mechanics to build the weapons and figure out how to use them. They would probably also want them to build new, more powerful and dangerous weapons for them. These mechanics are the most advanced in their field and are being transferred to East City to continue their research and work there. It got too dangerous where they were before."

"Where were they before?" Edward asked.

The Captain frowned. "I'm not sure if I'm allowed to tell you that."

Edward raised a brow. "Really, _Captain_, you can't tell a higher ranking soldier information that you know. I just want to know where they were working before."

"A lab in North City." Laura said hesitantly.

"North City, that's near Briggs which is where the border of Drachma is." Al said, frowning. He looked at his brother with worried eyes. "I heard that the tension between Amestris and Drachma has steadily been rising for years. Do you think they've crossed the border finally?"

"That or the Amestris soldiers crossed the border. Or terrorists are acting up in North City too. What I don't get is why the military is sending its most skilled mechanics to East City where they have been a lot of terrorists' activity." Edward replied, looking at the officers with a questioning look.

The Captain and Lieutenant shrugged, but it was the Second Lieutenant who answered. "Even we don't know the answer to that. We are just doing what we were told. By the way, I'm Second Lieutenant Kai Hanks." His orange hair was cut short and his crystal blue eyes shined with a carefree and fun twinkle.

"Where were you guys stationed before given this mission?"Al asked curiously.

"Northern Command Center." The last officer said. "Warrant Officer Katherine Walts." Her chestnut hair went down to her shoulders, free of any hair ties and headbands. Her amber eyes shined with the hardships of a soldier, but with hidden warmth that Edward and Alphonse saw many times in their mother's eyes.

Myers returned to them with three more officers. "We are ready to go. Warrant Officer Walts, Second Lieutenant Hanks, you two will follow behind the group. Captain Sellick will guard the left flank of the group with Major Lyes. First Lieutenant Cluke and Major Sergeant Baez will guard the right flank. First Lieutenant Haze and I will guard the front." He turned his annoyed eyes to Ed and Al. "Major Elric and his brother will keep an eye on all sides and make sure to protect the mechanics. We are to get them all to East City safely, got it, Fullmetal?"

Edward growled low in his throat. "I know the mission."

Myers ignored him. "Let's move out."

Edward shoved his hands in his pockets as the mechanics got up and the officers fell into their places around the group and began forward, moving through the back alleys. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. "You ready for this, little brother?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Al replied, pulling his Alchemy gloves on so he was ready for anything. "Where do you think they are heading?"

"Probably to the edge of the city so they can travel through the country so they can avoid the terrorists, but if the terrorists really do want the technology that these mechanics are producing, they'll follow us. We have to be really careful." Edward said, following a few yards behind the group.

Al frowned. "Do you really think these mechanics can make weapons like that?"

Edward looked at the mechanics. They definitely looked the part of mechanics, a few of them were reading engineering books, while others were discussing machines and how they work. The way they were talking was enough to convince Edward since it sounded like some complicated work they were talking about. "Definitely, but I don't think they are just working on weapons. There has to be something else, something more."

Al looked up at the sky. "It's dark. I guess Myers wants us to travel by night to get out of the city."

"It's probably the safest and most discreet way to get a group this big out. A group full of mechanics and officers would draw a lot of attention. Traveling by night to get out of the city is the best route." Edward replied, looking at the way the moon reflected in his brother's eyes to make them brighter in the dark. Their golden eyes already glowed faintly in the dark as it was, but the moon made them seem to grow even brighter.

Soon, the group reached the edge of the city. Myers led them to a dirt path that was completely open. All their light came from the nearly full moon and the stars.

"Brother," Al said.

Because of his brother's harsh tone, Edward stopped walking to look at his brother, who also stopped. "What is it, Al?"

"What did you see at the train station today? I know you saw something. It had you worried. I didn't say anything earlier because we were with the Lieutenant." Al explained. He glanced at the group ahead of them and lowered his voice a notch. "What did you see?"

Frowning, Edward looked forward again and went back to walking. He buried his hands deeper into his coat pockets. He felt his metal hand hit against his gun and winced at the thought of it.

"Brother, why won't you tell me what is wrong? I'm your brother. We've always tell each other everything. I want to help you with whatever it is. We're in this together. You may be the only one with military certification, but I'm an alchemist too and I'm going to work with you whenever the Colonel gives me permission. So just tell me what happened at the station!" Al demanded, raising his voice as he sped up in his walk to catch up with Ed.

Cluke looked back at the brothers, frowning. "What? A brothers' spat? If you're going to fight, keep you voices down. We are trying to be inconspicuous here." He snapped at them. Did these boys not understand they were on a mission?

"Stay out of it!" Edward snapped at him.

Cluke looked at him in a stupid manner. "Were you even trained for the military?"

"Of course not. I'm twelve!" Edward snarled.

"Stop avoiding the question!" Al said angrily, as he grabbed his brother's arm and pulled him to a stop.

"I'm not avoiding anything. I don't have to tell you everything, Alphonse." Edward snapped.

"You always tell me everything. Why should this time be any different, _Edward_?" Al asked angrily, emphasizing his brother's name. He never used his full name and only did so when he was mad or upset. His brother only used his full name when he was mad at him, worried about him, or telling him to back off, which was what he was doing this time.

Edward pulled his arm free and walked away from his brother to patrol the left flank of the group, scanning the area around them. Frowning, Al followed after his brother.

"So, what are you saying, brother? You don't trust me enough to tell me what is going on? Did I do something to make you mad so you want to keep secrets all of a sudden? We have never had secrets between us! We've been through everything together." Al's voice started rising in the last sentence because his brother was still walking forward not looking at him.

"Al, you might want to lower your voice." Sellick hissed at him.

The young alchemist ignored her. He knew if it was his brother telling him to lower his voice, he would have, but it wasn't his brother. His brother was still ignoring him. And he was going to continue shouting until he got his attention back. "Everything together! We watched dad leave together! We were both there to watch mom die! We met Master and trained under her together! We almost died under her training! It wasn't just you dying in that training! I watched you almost die two years ago. I watched you suffer through your surgery and rehabilitation, feeling the pain myself as I watched you in so much pain. We left our hometown together on this journey. You are not alone! You are not the only one affected by your choices! Why do you think you have to shoulder everything on your own? Stop doing that. I'm your brother and I am here to help you. We are supposed to help each other. Stop pushing me away!"

"Al, I really think you should lower your voice." Sellick said in a hollow voice. Just from the few sentences she heard the young boy yelling, she knew these two have had a hard life so far. She really didn't want to hear it. This was a private conversation after all. She wasn't an eavesdropper.

"We left home to travel and help people together. And by helping people, I know we meant that we would help each other whenever the other needed it. But I can't help you if you don't tell me what is wrong!" Al said angrily.

Edward looked over his shoulder with narrowed eyes. "And I'm not telling you because you can't help. This is something I have to do by myself so stay out of it." He looked at his brother fully now, frowning. "And don't you dare say we've been through everything together! You left me because you were too scared to help me with it."

"I wasn't scared. I just knew that it was a stupid and dangerous thing to do. And you knew that to, but you insisted on doing it anywhere. Besides if I remember correctly, you were the one who told me to leave." Al said angrily. "Because you always have to do everything by yourself! I don't need you to always protect me! Sometimes you need protected too, brother! We protect each other!"

"Because you chickened out and were in the way." Edward growled. He turned around and went back to patrolling the left flank.

Al followed after his brother, fists clenched at his side. "I didn't chicken out. I just came to my senses, unlike you."

"And this is why we shouldn't have kids, let alone brothers, on a mission like this." Lyes said.

"Or in the military." Sellick growled. "You're equal rank with him. Tell him to drop it."

"I don't think it will do any good." Lyes replied, frowning. "Those two are no longer with us. They are in their own little world where they can yell freely."

"LITTLE! WHO THE HELL SAID LITTLE?" Edward yelled angrily.

Everyone turned their eyes to Edward, except Al who was repeatedly hitting his forehead.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Myers growled.

Edward took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. "How much farther do we have to go before we stop for the night?"

Myers looked around the area they were in. He nodded towards a field to their right. "We can set up camp in that field and sleep here tonight so you two can work out your issues so you don't end up yelling while we are trying to be inconspicuous."

Edward shoved his hands in pocket and moved over to the field, leaving his brother behind. A fight to the death was the challenge set forth to him by Isaac. He couldn't tell his brother that. It was a challenge, signaling an one-on-one fight. Al couldn't join in the fight and shouldn't watch it or have to know about it. He would just worry the whole time. This was something he had to deal with on his own.

A/N: Al is more mature than Ed in the manga and anime. I figure that was because he didn't have a body so he didn't know what it was like to grow up like a teenager with puberty, hormones, and such. So because he has a body in this story, he might be acting a little different because he is growing up with a body. Just thought I warn you so you people don't give me a review just to tell me Al is not acting like himself because this is what I will tell you if you say that.

Please Review!


	16. Chapter 16: Chimera Attack

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Thanks for the reviews!

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"Quiet, child. This is what you wanted, isn't it? I will show you... the Truth!"- The Truth

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 16: Chimera Attack

"_What the…..What was I doing?" Edward asked confused. His golden eyes looked tiredly around the white area he was in. Everything was completely white around him. He turned around and saw a big gate towering over him. "What?"_

"_Hey, over here!" A mocking and amused voice called to him. _

_Edward whipped around. "Who's there?"_

"_Here, here. I'm right in front of you, alchemist." The voice said. _

_Edward looked around. "Where?" His eyes found a white figure that was in the shape of a human sitting on the ground. "Who are you?"_

"_Ah, thanks for asking!" The person said excitedly, throwing his arms into the air in excitement. "I am called by many names. I am the "world". I am the "universe". I am "God". I am "Truth." I am "All". I am "One". And I am also," He pointed a finger at Ed. "You."_

_Edward's eyes widened and stared in fear at the Truth. He heard the Gate behind him snap open. _

"_You have dared to knock on the door and now the door has opened." The Truth said. _

_Edward turned around to find a big eye staring at him from inside the Gate. Little black hands came out of the Gate at him. He tried to run away, but the hands grabbed him before he could take more than a step away. They started pulling him into the Gate, him screaming all the way. _

"_Quiet child. This is what you wanted, isn't it? I will show you…..the Truth!"_

_The Gate doors snapped shut. The little hands wrapped all around Edward and pulled him farther into the Gate._

_Information was poured into Ed's brain all at once, making him scream out in pain. It felt like his head was going to explode. _

"_STOP IT!" Edward cried out in pain and fear. "IT'S TOO MUCH! IT'S TOO MUCH! STOP IT!"_

_A bright, white figure appeared before Edward. The form of the figure looked like his mother. _

"_Mom, please!" Edward reached a hand out to her. _

_As fast as she appeared, she was gone and Edward was in front of the Truth again. _

"_How was it?" The Truth asked. _

_Edward lowered his hand and looked back at the gate. He began walking to it. "I see. My theory of human transmutation wasn't wrong. It can be done. It's still just missing something." He slammed his hands on the Gate. "Please, you have to show it to me again." _

"_I can't do that." The Truth said. He stood up. "I've already shown you all that I can for the toll you paid."_

_Edward looked back at him confused. "Toll? What toll?"_

_The Truth held out his right arm and lifted his left leg. His arm and leg began to turn tan, the color of Edward's skin. "These. Surely you knew." _

_Edward looked down at his arm and leg to see them beginning to disappear. Alchemical energy cackled around his arm and leg as they disappeared and reappeared on the Truth. He fell back against the Gate as he lost his balance and stared up in shock at the Truth when he appeared in his face. _

"_It's the law of equivalent exchange, right, foolish alchemist?" The Truth asked. _

_The vast white area disappeared and Edward find himself in his basement. He screamed in pain as he noticed that his arm and leg were still gone. He turned himself onto his stomach and looked into the transmutation circle. A mismatched figure lay in the center, gurgling blood coming from the body and it reached an arm that was covered in blood out. It fell against the ground and scrabbled at it, trying to pull itself forward. _

"_No, this isn't what I wanted. No." Edward cried out. _

"BROTHER!"

Edward jolted and lashed out at the voice.

"BROTHER, WAKE UP!"

Edward's eyes snapped open. They stared up into the scared face of his little brother. "Al?"

"Are you okay? It looked like you were having a nightmare." Al said, concern washing off him in waves.

Edward pushed his brother to the side so he could sit up without hitting him. He looked over his brother's shoulder to see the mechanics and officers still sleeping around the fire. Major Lyes, with his back to the boys, was sitting in front of the fire. His shotgun was resting against his shoulder, ready to be picked up and fired at any moment.

"He didn't see. We're too far away and in the dark." Al replied, knowing that his brother was worried that someone else saw him having a nightmare. He was worried they would think he was weak if they knew he had nightmares.

Edward nodded his head. He chose to sleep away from the group because he was mad and wanted to be alone. His brother must have joined him sometime after he fell asleep. "I'm sorry about our fight."

"I'm sorry too, brother. I was just upset that you were…..are keeping secrets from me. I don't like having secrets between us. We're all that we have left. We shouldn't keep secrets between us." Al replied. "We never have."

"Al, you know I am in the military. I might learn some things while in my job that I can't tell you because you aren't in the military. You're going to have to get used to me keeping some secrets from you." Edward replied sadly.

Al frowned. "We'll deal with that when it comes, but what happened at the train station has nothing to do with the military. Why can't you tell me what is going on?"

"Because I don't want you to worry, Al. Just let it go." Edward said, staring at the stars. "Everything will be fine. We should just focus on the mission right now. That is all that matters right now."

Al nodded his head and sat down by his brother.

"I have a feeling that there is going to be trouble soon. We have to be prepared. Do not take your gloves off ever on this mission, Al, not even when you are sleeping. You have to be prepared at all times." Edward said, looking intensely at his brother.

Nodding his head, Al looked around the open field. A small hill was a few yards away from them that led to the dirt path. All the mechanics and officers slept in sleeping bags around the fire. Their back packs were thrown into a pile to the side. "It's going to be hard to protect thirteen mechanics with only eight officers and two alchemist."

Narrowing his eyes in thought, Edward laid back down on his sleeping bag. "The officers will be guarding the mechanics. We are to take care of anyone attacking us. When did you come over here?"

"I joined you about an hour after you fell asleep." Al replied, shifting on his sleeping bag so he could crawl into it. "I wanted to talk to you. I hate fighting with you."

"Remember when we fought in Resembool? You would always run to the river and sit there until I came to get you." Edward reminisced. He propped himself up on his elbow to look at his little brother.

"Looking at water is very peaceful and calms me down. It's my personal relaxant." Al replied, staring at the moon. "Staring at water slows my heart. Water is calm and flows in one direction, like the world. It all goes in one direction. We can't go backwards."

"We have to work past everything. It's the only way we can live in this world. We can't hold grudges. Holding grudges will just cause you a lot of problems in life." Edward added. "It's getting late. We should go back to sleep. We going to need all the sleep we can get."

*B*R*E*A*K*

"It's going to take forever to get to East City by walking. And our food probably won't last long enough to get us there so we'll probably either starve again or hunt, but I'm not sure if there is anything here to eat. Why these idiots want to walk there I will never understand." Edward grumbled.

"I don't see why you are complaining. It is such a nice day out here. It's so beautiful!" Al replied cheerfully, looking at the bright blue sky, sun, and open field. He grinned at his brother. They were walking ahead of the group today.

Edward shielded his eyes as he looked up at the sky. "It's not that. It's just thinking about how far we have to walk to get to New Optain. Then we have to walk to East City from there. This mission would be so easy and go by fast if we could have some type of transportation. It is just completely insane to walk all the way there."

"Try thinking about the officers and mechanics and have some sympathy for them. They've been walking since they left North City." Al retorted, still grinning at his brother.

"I don't see how you can always be in a happy mood." Edward said monotonously.

"I don't see how you can always be in a bad mood." Al replied in the same tone.

"Because we can never be in the same mood. We must be complete opposites." Edward retorted. He looked at his brother with a mischievous smile. "How dare you always put me in a bad mood? I thought you loved me!"

Al grinned evilly. "As much as I love you, brother, I don't like being in a bad mood so I shall steal the good mood before you wake up so I can have it and you have to take the bad mood. So you only have yourself to blame. You the one who loves sleeping so much."

Edward scoffed. "You're the one to talk. You hate mornings."

"So do you." Al retorted playfully.

"I only hate mornings because you have to wake up and take the good, happy, cheerful mood. Maybe if you just left it for me for once." Edward replied, hitting his brother's shoulder playfully.

Al hit his brother back. "First come, first serve."

"Aw, come on, Al. Don't be like that." Edward replied.

Grinning like a mad man, Al ran forward away from his brother.

Smirking, Edward ran after his brother. "COWARD! HOW DARE YOU RUN?"

Laughing, Al picked up his speed. "You should know, brother, a good soldier knows when to fight and when to run." He called over his shoulder.

As soon as Edward got closed enough to his brother, he dropped to the ground and skidded, knocking Al's feet out from under him. Al let out a shocked sound. When his body hit the ground, he twisted around and kicked his brother in the side, sending him skidding to the side and down the side of the hill.

As he was rolling down the hill, Edward clapped his hands and slammed them on the ground. A ledge was created out of the side of the hill. The state alchemist landed on the ledge. Rubbing his side, he stood up and began climbing the hill.

"The simple things are more fun than anything." Al said when his brother made it back to him. He smiled brightly at him.

Smiling, Edward swung his flesh arm over Al's shoulder and they continued down the dirt path.  
>"I love traveling, but I really do miss the simple life in Resembool. I never really thought I would be traveling all over the place back then."<p>

Al grinned at his brother.

"What?" Ed asked confused.

"I just never noticed how much you are like Master." Al replied, laughing.

Edward blinked. "What are you talking about? I'm not like her."

Al shook his head and laughed harder. He wiped a tear away from his eye.

"I'm not. She's crazy and always reacts violently to everything." Edward growled.

Al straightened himself out and got control of his laughter. "So do you. She hates being called old and you hate being called short. You both react violently when called them. You two have the same philosophies as well. Don't help anyone unless they have the will to help themselves, but not the means. You also both love to travel. You're just like Master on so many levels. We were only with her for six months but you learned more than just what she taught us. You became violent like her and learned to love traveling from her."

"Just please don't mention Master." Edward moaned, hanging his head. "I hate to think of what she would do to me if we ran into her. I broke both conditions that Master gave us before she trained us."

"Yeah, but breaking the second condition was against your will." Al pointed out.

"Do you actually think Master will see it that way?" Edward groaned.

Al put his hand on his chin in thought. "Good point."

Edward sighed. "You're not making me feel better, Al."

"Do you want me to tell you the truth or lie to make you feel better? You know I hate lying!" Al replied, throwing his arms into the air.

Edward shrugged and fell silent as the boys continued walking forward. He thought about his dream from the night before. He relived it last night. The night he received the Truth. The Truth.

The Truth.

The Truth.

The Truth.

The Truth.

Edward's eyes widened and he pulled his brother to a stop. "The Truth!"

"What?" Al asked confused.

"I received the Truth." Edward replied shocked.

Al scrunched his brows together. "The Truth? Didn't Master mention that to us before? She said she was acting as the Alchemy formula. Her hands act as the circle in her transmutation. And now you can do Alchemy without a circle as well because you received the Truth. How did you receive the Truth?"

"I received the Truth when I attempted to bring mom back. The Truth guy there gave me the truth, but made me pay for it by taking my arm and leg." Edward explained.

Al's eyes widened. "But for Master to have received the Truth she would have had…."

"Yes, she had to have attempted to bring someone back, but I don't know what she lost. Unless there is another way to receive the Truth. But not many people know about the Truth so there probably isn't any notes on it. So, the only known way to receive the Truth right now is Human Transmutation." Edward replied, nodding his head.

Al ran a hand through his hair. "It's hard to believe that Master would do that. She always told us to never bring a human back because it goes against the flow and isn't possible. And to find out that she attempted it herself."

"It's probably why she knew so much and made that one of her main life lessons to teach us." Edward replied thoughtfully before sighing. "Master and apprentice both make the same mistake."

"We could be wrong. Maybe Master got Truth a different way. We should ask her." Al said.

Edward shook his head. "Not if you want me dead."

"Good point. I don't like the thought of seeing Master. She'll probably beat us up again." Al muttered. His eyes lit up evilly. "Especially you when she finds out what you did."

Edward glared at his brother. "Stop reminding me."

Someone clearing their throat stopped the boys from continuing their conversation. They looked around to find the officers and mechanics waiting impatiently behind them.

"Hey, you finally caught up!" Edward said surprised.

"You two seem happy today." Cluke commented.

Edward shrugged and the group continued forward.

"Do you actually know how to get to New Optain by walking?" Al asked.

"Not a clue. I figure the Lieutenant Colonel should know and he will yell at us if we go in the wrong direction, but right now," Edward shielded his eyes as he looked ahead. "The only way to head is forward."

Al sighed and clasped his hands behind his back as he followed his brother down the dirt road.

In silence, the boys walked for an hour. Al looked around at the scenery. He always loved looking at nature. It was a calming affect for him. The nature was always beautiful to him. He enjoyed just sitting on a hill and drawing the scenery in front of him. His drawings were becoming much better as he drew more and more. It was one of the skills he had that his brother didn't have.

The older brother kept his hands shoved in his pockets. His eyes continually roamed over the landscape, looking for anything suspicious, suspicious looking people working in the fields that didn't belong or items that were lying around that wouldn't be found out in the country. Anything that was suspicious could be dangerous to them. His Master taught him to keep his eyes opened and know what is going on in his surroundings. Breaking concentration just once when in a dangerous situation was deadly.

Back when he was eight and training under his Master he remembered her drilling that lesson into his and Al's heads. She would send them to Yock Island and they would have to last anywhere from five hours to forty-eight hours without getting caught by her. That test started at five hours, but as they trained under her she added more and more time to that test. It was a test to sharpen their attentiveness, observant, alchemy, and fighting skills. It was one hell of a challenge, especially when the opponent was their Master.

Looking around the land, Edward stared with more concern at the forest that they were approaching. A forest was a perfect place for an ambush. Someone could hide in the shadows of the trees and wait for the target to be close enough before attacking. The target would never know what hit him/her. Edward learned that lesson the hard way.

Al noticed the forest too and narrowed his eyes. He readjusted his gloves on his hands in a nervous manner. Before a fight he always got a little nervous. He was a pacifist so he always tried to solve problems peacefully. Having been trained by his Master and living with his brother, Al knew that not all problems could be solved peacefully. This was one of those moments.

Being nervous before a fight always made Al more cautious and not reckless like his brother. His brother would just jump into fights, not thinking or worrying about the consequences. Even when the fight was over his brother never thought about the consequences. The job of worrying, thinking about the consequences, and being the voice of reason was left to Al.

As the trees loomed over them and cast them into shadows, the brothers tensed up, ready to use Alchemy at the slightest indication of trouble. It was an automatic reaction for them when they are in a dangerous situation. It showed just how hard their Master trained them.

Light shined through the canopy of trees, giving the group sight to see ahead so they knew where they were going. It was only a few spots on the ground here and there, but it was enough for the group. Shadows not only helped the hunter, but also the prey. The shadows gave the prey coverage.

Crack! Smash! Whoosh!

Acting on instinct, Edward grabbed his brother and pushed him to the ground. He jumped over his brother to shield him as he raised his arm to block whatever came out from the trees. It latched onto his arm, making him clench his teeth in pain. Reacting as quickly as he did, he raised his flesh arm in defense, not his automail.

From the ground, Al clapped his hands and slammed them on the ground. Spikes shot up from the ground, stabbing the creature in the stomach to make it release his brother. The creature howled in pain, allowing Ed to wrench his arm away, blood was running down his arm, starting at his elbow.

Edward watched the creature scrabbled at the spike in pain as it slowly bleed to death. He clutched his bleeding arm, straining his white glove red. He looked the creature over. The upper part of it had the bottom of a lion while the bottom half of it was that of a panther. "A chimera."

"What's a chimera doing out here?" Al said, pushing himself off the ground and looking around. He squinted his eyes to try to see better through the trees. "There has to be an alchemist around if there are chimeras."

"What's the situation, Major?" Lieutenant Colonel Myers demanded, hand resting on the hilt of his gun.

"Chimeras. We think there might be an alchemist around." Edward replied, glancing back at the soldiers and mechanics. "Keep your guns out and be ready for anything."

The soldiers immediately pulled their guns out and clicked the safeties off. Major Lyes pumped his shotgun so it was ready.

"Brother?" Al asked.

"We continue forward, Al. Just be ready." Edward murmured.

Al looked at the pool of blood on that ground. It was a mix of the chimera's blood and his brother's. "What about your arm?"

"We'll worry about it later. I don't like being surrounded like this. We have to get out of here first." Edward replied. "Besides, it's not that bad of a wound."

Al shrugged, but still looked worried as the group moved forward again. He kept glancing at his brother out of the corner of his eye. His brother didn't notice; he was too busy looking into the trees, looking for the enemy. His injured arm hanged limply at his side.

BANG!

Edward and Alphonse whipped around when they heard the sound of a gun being fired. Lying at Major Lyes feet was a chimera, bleeding from its head where the bullet hit it. Lyes pumped his gun and nodded at the boys when he saw them looking.

"So, there are more." Edward muttered, turning around. "Who knows how many more are around? We can't walk anymore. It's too dangerous. We have to get out of this forest quickly."

"So, we run?" Al clarified.

Edward bit the inside of his cheek as he thought. "Al, I want you to lead them out of the forest. I'll follow behind the group."

Al nodded his head. After a quick look through the trees, he ran forward with the officers and mechanics following. Edward waited until they were a few yards away before he started following them. He wanted some distance between them so he could see both sides of the group.

Ahead of him Edward could hear his brother's use of alchemy to create walls or spikes to attack the chimeras that jumped out at the group. The soldiers began sending round after round at the chimeras, killing or seriously injuring them. The mechanics ducked their heads and threw their hands over their heads when the soldiers fired. Apparently they could make the weapons but they didn't like seeing weapons used or the killing.

Edward clapped his hands together and jumped forward, landing on his knees and slamming his hands on the ground. Walls formed on the ground around the group to block the chimeras. With the walls protecting them the group could run without having to worry about the chimeras for a while. It also gave the soldiers time to reload their guns.

One of the mechanics, a man who looked to be in his mid-twenties tripped and fell onto his face. His pale face was covered in sweat and his brown eyes were full of fear. As he was pushing himself to his feet a giant bird chimera swooped down and grabbed him by the shoulders in its talons. The man began to screaming and clawing at the talons to get it to put him down.

Clapping his hands quickly, Edward slammed them on the ground to produce a pillar with him on top of it. He clapped his hands again. This time a beam shot out of the pillar. The beam dug itself into the chimera bird's chest, making it release the mechanic, who hit the ground with a thud and laid there stunned. The man's friends pulled him to his feet, where he immediately collapsed. The fall had twisted his ankle. One of his friends pulled him up and threw his arm over his shoulder and helped him walk.

Edward jumped down from the pillar, landing neatly on his feet. He couldn't blame the man for twisting his ankle when he fell, no matter how much he wanted to. The man didn't have the training he did and wasn't expecting to be drop all of a sudden.

Ahead he saw the officers and Al fending off ten chimeras. _Where the hell are they all coming from? Who would make this many chimeras? _Edward thought as he stayed behind the mechanics. He wanted to go help his brother, but knew he couldn't leave the rear end of the group unprotected so he had to settle for watching his brother and officers fight on their own. He didn't want to use any alchemy from where he was because he could accidently hit a mechanic, an officer, or his brother. He was not going to take that risk.

As he was watching them, Warrant Officer Walts ran out of bullets and had to stop to reload. That moment of cease firing was all it took for one of the chimeras to get through and tackle the Warrant Officer to the ground. The chimera wasted no time in biting her neck. It tore away all her skin from it, allowing her to bleed to death. The blood swarmed around her into a pool. It took less than a minute before she was completely drenched in her own blood from head to toe. His chestnut hair looked like it was naturally red with how much blood there was.

Major Lyes shot the chimera in his head a moment too late. His comrade was already dead by the time he turned around and shot it in the head.

When he caught up to the soldiers and Al, Edward looked at the dead woman and couldn't turn his eyes away from her, no matter how much he wanted to. Her amber eyes were opened. They were so dull and blank; the way a dead person's eyes looked. Blood was splattered against her clothes; more blood kept spilling from her throat.

"Elric, we need your help!" Major Lyes shouted at him.

Tearing his eyes away from the body, Edward looked at his comrades and brother to see them still fighting off the chimeras. "Everyone move out of the way!" He ordered. His hands were raised in front of his chest, waiting to be clapped.

The soldiers looked at his raised hands and immediately moved out the way, still firing away at the chimeras. Al performed two backflips to get away from the chimeras. He landed by his brother's side, worry shining in his eyes. "There are too many, brother. What do we do?"

"Leave it to me." Edward replied before clapping his hands. He dropped to his knees to put his hands on the ground. Blue alchemical light shined around them, causing Al to shield his eyes. He squinted his eyes open a little to see what his brother was doing. Waves from the ground were pushing the chimeras back into the trees.

Al's mouth fell into a small 'oh.' "Everyone get moving now!" He screamed.

"What about Walts?" Captain Sellick asked.

Edward shook his head. "She's dead. We can't take her body with us. Let's go now!"

Sellick sent one more sad look at her dead friend and comrade before following the others.

The group ran the rest of the way through the forest with the soldiers firing a few rounds at chimeras through the trees. Edward threw a few walls up to block the path from the chimeras.

By the time they reached the edge of the forest all the mechanics were covered in sweat and breathing heavily. The soldiers were turned to the forest with their guns raised, waiting for something, anything to come out of the forest and attack them.

"We have to keep moving. We can't stop here." Edward replied, not out of breath at all.

"Can't we take a break?" An older mechanic with graying hair and deep electric blue eyes shined with wisdom and a darkness that showed he's seen a lot in his life asked.

Edward frowned at him. "You should know we can't stop here, not this close to danger. We are to move now!" He snapped.

Lieutenant Colonel Myers turned to glare at him. "I'm in control here, brat."

Edward snarled at him. "What's your problem?"

Lieutenant Colonel Myers angrily motioned to the forest. "You let Warrant Officer Walts die."

"You're blaming me? I was sent here to help, but I'm not God. I can't save everyone. She was a soldier. She knew the dangers of being a soldier. All soldiers know there is a chance they will die on the next mission they go on. It's not my job to protect the soldiers. It's my job to help you escort the mechanics to East City." Edward said angrily, fists clenched at his sides. "Death is all part of a life. People die every day whether it is in battle, from illness, or natural cause. I'm not God and can't do anything about that."

Al smiled sadly and placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. He knew his brother was remembering his human transmutation. Edward shot his brother a grateful look.

"Come on, it's time to move. We need to get away from here and treat our wounds." Edward murmured, clutching his bleeding arm again.

"I forgot about your arm!" Al cried, eyes wide, and began fussing over his brother, who sighed, pushed his brother away, and started walking again. The younger alchemist ran after his brother to keep an eye on him.

Scowling, Myers motioned to his team and the mechanics to follow after the boys who insisted on running this mission and not listening to his command and making their own orders. Oh, he was going to have to a lot to complain about when this mission was over.

The group walked for about two miles with Al fussing over his brother's arm, the soldiers continually glancing back towards the forest for any sign of danger, the mechanics complaining and grumbling, and Edward beginning to get ignored with the mechanics. He only lasted two miles before he got so annoyed and yelled that they were going to stop in the field for the night. Not waiting for approval from the Lieutenant Colonel, Edward stomped down to the field. Al shrugged apologetically at Myers and followed his brother.

In the field, the mechanics sat on the ground, not bothering to set up camp yet. They needed to rest. They had no idea of how those two young boys could still have all the energy they had left.

While Al went to get some medical supplies from First Lieutenant Haze, Edward looked at the soldiers and mechanics. Altogether there were only three injured soldiers and the one mechanic with the twisted ankle. Captain Sellick had two huge gashes; one on her leg and the other on her arm. Second Lieutenant Hanks looked like he had a horrible bite on his hand that was bleeding furiously. Major Baez had claw marks on his chest and huge gash on his cheek that would definitely leave a scar.

When Al came back, the brothers moved away from the group. When they thought they were far enough away, Al used alchemy to put walls around them so the soldiers, mechanics, and anyone who might be wandering around couldn't see them. Ed slid down the wall, stretching his legs out in front of him.

"How are you and tell me the truth?" Al growled, dropping down on his brother's left.

Edward shrugged. "I've had worse." He raised his right arm to prove his point.

"You were an idiot to not block with your automail arm." Al muttered.

Edward sighed. "I learn from this mistake. I'll remember to use it next time." He pulled his red coat and black jacket off, tossing them to the side. With the sleeves out of the way the boys could see how bad the damage was. The chimera's teeth left holes in his arm; holes that were still bleeding badly. There were also two gashes on his arm from when the chimera's teeth scraped against his arm after getting stabbed by the spike from Al.

Al winced in sympathy for his brother. He knew that his brother's arm had to hurt. He just wouldn't admit it to him or anyone. His brother hated being weak, especially showing weakness in front of others. That's why his brother never said if something was too much and he couldn't handle it. "We need to clean it out." He pulled out a water bottle and poured it over his brother's arm. His brother didn't react to the water falling over his arm. Usually something like that would make a wound string a lot, but his brother didn't show the slightest bit of pain to it.

"Only two days into the mission and we are already down one soldier with three more injured and one mechanic injured. This mission might just be harder than I thought." Edward gave a small smirk. "Better than that last mission. A mission with a challenge."

Al rolled his eyes at his brother and pulled out a towel. "It's sad that Walts was killed though."

Edward frowned. "I know. I wished I could have saved her, but I wasn't close enough."

"I know, brother. I know you would have done something if you could have. You are a good person, but as you said, you aren't God." Al replied as he wrapped the towel around his brother's arm. He patted it down to get his brother's arm dry. Blood seeped through the towel, straining it red.

Edward looked down at his automail hand. He flexed its fingers. "No way near him."

Al grabbed the gauze and started to wrap it tightly around Ed's arm. "I wonder who is controlling the chimeras. I didn't think there were any alchemists in the Eastern Liberation Front."

"We might not be dealing them. Remember we faced them on the train and they were wimps. These chimeras had to have been made by a great alchemist, considering how many there were and how strong they were." Edward replied.

"So we might just have two enemies to face." Al summarized.

Edward frowned and looked at the sky. "Maybe three."

Al stopped wrapping his brother's arm. "Why do you say that?"

Edward shook his head.

"Oh, great. We're back to you keeping secrets again." Al snarled angrily. He went back to wrapping the gauze around Ed's arm a few more times to make sure the blood wouldn't seep through.

"I think that's enough wrapping, Al." Edward pulled his brother's hand off the gauze. "And I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just not sure what is going on. I don't see any point in worrying you about it if there is nothing to worry about."

Frowning, Al taped the gauze down on his brother's arm. "Maybe I can help you figure out whatever it is that you are trying to figure out. You don't have to do everything by yourself, brother. I'm here to help you. That's what brothers do."

Edward didn't reply. He turned his attention to his clothes and fixed his jacket and coat with alchemy. When they were fixed, he pulled them back on. He looked at his gloves that were strained with blood. Sighing, he tossed them into his backpack and pulled out a fresh pair. His Master always told them to be prepared for anything so he always had an extra pair or two with him.

"You shouldn't keep secrets from me. I tell you everything. How would you feel if I suddenly just started not telling you everything?" Al asked, staring up at his brother, who had stood up to get dressed.

Edward looked at his brother out of the corner of his eye. If his brother suddenly stopped telling him everything he would feel hurt, confused, and sad. It would feel like his brother no longer trusted him.

"Brother?" Al asked when his brother didn't reply.

Edward drew in a large amount of air and slowly exhaled through his nose. He turned back to face his brother with a serious expression.

"Isaac is back."

A/N: Please Review!


	17. Chapter 17: Making Plans

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

**Okay, sorry. For whatever reason, I had forgotten this chapter was done and ready to be posted. Honestly, I thought I had already posted it.**

**Thanks for the reviews!**

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"What do you mean? Destruction and creation are two sides of the same coin! You must destroy to create! THAT IS THE LAW OF THE UNIVERSE! _[takes off shirt, poses epically]._"- Alex Louis Armstrong

"Did he have to strip?"- Riza Hawkeye

"Are you surprised? He's clearly insane."- Jean Havoc

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 17: Making Plans

"Isaac is back."

Silence. An uncomfortable, long, shocked silence. That was the only way Edward could describe the silence that fell over the brothers. He stared down into his brother's surprised eyes with a completely serious and dreadful expression. Al was staring up in shock at his brother with wide eyes and his mouth hanging open a little. The man who almost killed his brother was back!

Gritting his teeth, Edward dropped his arms to his sides. "And…..and he has challenged me to a duel to the death, a one on one battle." Edward said quietly.

An even longer silence fell over the boys. The younger alchemist stared in more shock and fear than before. His mouth fell open more and his breathing became heavily. A fight to the death? What the hell kind of adult challenges a twelve year old to a fight to the death? It was completely insane!

Edward looked at his brother expectantly. He was waiting for the reaction that he was sure would be coming any second now. Truth was, he didn't want to fight Isaac in a duel to the death. He knew there was a chance he could die in the fight. No matter how tough and brave he acted, he didn't want to die. He couldn't die. He was all that Al had left. His brother needed him. And he didn't want to die. He liked living.

Abruptly, Al stood up, grabbed his brother's shoulders, and started to shake him. "Please tell me you didn't accept the challenge! You know you can't beat him. He's too strong. Please tell me you didn't accept it."

Edward smiled sadly at his brother. "I can't do that. I don't like being challenged like that so I accepted it. I'm not sure when we are going to fight though. I haven't seen him since we left the train station."

Al fell to his knees and whacked his head against one of the walls he created. Why? Why was he cursed to have such a reckless and hardheaded brother who did the most dangerous things ever? He was going to get himself killed at a young age at this rate.

"It's not that bad, Al. He might not even go through with the fight since he doesn't know what has happened to us since he saw us at the train station." Edward said as he clapped his hands and got rid of the walls.

Al stood up and straightened his jacket. "That doesn't change the fact that you are reckless and always will be. Your recklessness will get you killed some day."

Edward stared at his little brother's deep, troubled eyes. His sad smile transformed into a frown. "Don't worry about me, Al." He said softly, voice laced with pain and sadness. He was more worried that his recklessness would get someone else hurt or killed. He didn't care if he got himself hurt, but he never wanted someone else to get involved in his affairs and get hurt helping him or getting in his way. It would cause him great guilt to get an innocent person hurt.

The young state alchemist looked at the mechanics and soldiers around the fire that one of the officers built. The three soldiers who were hurt had their jackets thrown to the side so as not to be bothered by them. Their wounds hurt enough as it. They didn't want to agitate their wounds more by pulling their jackets back on. Pain flashed across their faces for the briefest moment whenever they moved their injured body parts the slightest inch before they covered it up with a blank expression.

Pain was no stranger to Edward. He had managed to hurt every body part of his being. He's broken his bones, he has had internal bleeding, he's had cuts, scrapes, and bruises, he has had two limbs ripped from his body, and he has been shot and stabbed. Edward could handle the pain. He was used to it all.

"Fullmetal, Alphonse, if you two are done with your secret conversations, get over here." Myers snapped at them.

Edward rolled his eyes and shoved his hands in his pocket. "Well, someone seems to be in a bad mood." He said blandly to Al.

Al sighed. "Military personal are like this probably. They lose a comrade in battle, but they can't show any weakness from it. Showing any emotion would probably be a sign of weakness to them, especially during a mission. So they cover their weak emotions with anger."

"What is it that you need?" Edward asked when he reached the Lieutenant Colonel.

Myers was kneeling on the ground with Major Lyes, First Lieutenant Haze, and First Lieutenant Cluke; between them was a map of east Amestris. Red lines were all over the map, starting in the north and moving down to Akran, then through the area that the brothers led the group through so far. Haze was tapping his red pen against his thigh.

The two young alchemists kneeled next to the military soldiers. Edward looked over the map and at the landscape around them, obviously teaching himself how to read a map. Al looked quickly at the map, but didn't try to understand it. He didn't really feel up to it and his brother was the best at learning something by himself. If it was important, he would have his brother teach him later.

Myers pointed at a dot on the map that was labeled New Optain. "Our goal is to get here first, then head to East City from there. In New Optain we will restock our medical and food supply."

"So, we're still going to walk?" Edward asked.

"Of course. We can't risk getting on any type of transportation." Myers snapped.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Because you are afraid of enemies, but in case you didn't realize, we were just attacked. The enemy is still attacking us."

"Brother," Al pleaded, pulling on his brother's sleeve. He didn't want his brother to anger the Lieutenant Colonel further. It might get him in a lot of trouble.

"You are just an ignorant brat, aren't you?" Myers scoffed.

Edward seethed at him.

"Fighting an enemy on any type of transportation is more dangerous than fighting out here in the open. On a train we would be confined to that space. And then what? We wouldn't be able to fight at full strength. The other passengers would also be in danger. At least out in the open we can fight at full strength and not worry about any civilians or about being confined." Myers explained annoyed. Honestly, even if he was a kid, he was a military officer and should be able to think about every possibility. It was the way adults had to think and it affected their decisions on missions. The kid needed to learn this if he was going to make it in the military.

Al wrapped his hand around his brother's wrist to remind him that he was here and he had to stay calm. He knew that his older brother hated being ignorant and being wrong about something. Edward prided himself in his high intelligence and on being able to make quick and smart decisions, even in the midst of a battle.

"So we are walking to New Optain where we will restock and you should call your commanding officer to let him know how the mission is going." Cluke summarized to get back on track and away from the fight that was brewing between the Major and Lieutenant Colonel.

Edward groaned. "I don't want to call th….OW! What the hell did you do that for, Al?" He yelled as he rubbed his arm where his brother punched him.

"I don't think you should be calling your comrades names in front of soldiers who don't know you or your relationship with your commander." Al whispered.

"What's to know? I hate him." Edward hissed back.

Al rolled his eyes. "I don't think you hate him."

"You don't, do you?" Edward snapped.

"No. I think you are glad he's your superior because he's the only one who would make that deal with or have you forgotten about that deal?" Al asked, looking sadly at his brother. Were they not going to research what he wanted to research after all?

The young state alchemist frowned and clapped a hand on Al's shoulder. "Of course I haven't forgotten, Al. We're still going to research it. I just have to focus on my mission right now."

"More secret conversations!" Cluke cried in frustration as he threw his hands into the air. "Will you two listen so we can finish up here?"

Edward rolled his eyes irritated. "Go ahead. We're listening."

"Thank you." Lyes growled. God, why did they allow this kid in the military, and as a state alchemist at that? "Once we finish in New Optain, it will be a straight walk to East City from there. Like last time we will be leaving the city at night as a safety precaution."

Edward ran his finger over the path that the group would be taking to make it to East City. His finger stopped at a spot a few inches away from New Optain. "What are these rough lines here?"

"That's a canyon." Cluke replied.

"Are we going to travel through it or over it?" Edward asked.

"Over it." Myers replied without hesitation.

Edward frowned. He rested one hand on his chin and kept his other hand on the map. "If we did that we would have to stay away from the edge because if we were attack we could fall into the canyon. There's no way anyone would survive. If we traveled through the canyon we would have coverage, but if it rained, it could flood and it might be the best place for an ambush. More chimeras could show up and trap us in the canyon, taking us out easily. Traveling over it would be best."

"Glad you approve." Myers said with a roll of his eyes.

Edward glared at him. "Look, Lieutenant Colonel, I was sent here to help you. I am just going over everything to make sure we are going about this right. You don't need to give me the sarcasm. I'm just trying to do as much as I can to help."

"You're one to talk about unleashing anger on others." Al muttered under his breath.

Edward angrily narrowed her eyes. "Did you say something, Al?"

Al shook his head frantically.

Shrugging, Ed went back to tracing the path they were going to take with his finger. His finger stopped on New Optain for a few seconds then it started traveling down to East City. "Are we just going to follow the train tracks to East City or walk away from them?"

"Following the tracks would be easier." Haze commented thoughtfully. "But that would also mean it would be easy for the enemy to find us. They would just have to follow like us."

Myers nodded his head. "So, we aren't following the tracks. We aren't going to make it easy for them."

"If we walk all day and only stop for a rest once or twice a day then we should be able to reach New Optain in about two days and from there, East City will be a four to five day walk, assuming we aren't attack again." Cluke said.

"We also have to add in our injuries and the fact that the mechanics aren't soldiers and don't have the same stamina as us." Edward pointed out.

"Damn, this is going to take longer than we thought when we factor all that in." Haze said, scratching the back of his head in an irritated manner.

Al sighed and crossed his arms. "At least it's not thirty days."

Edward looked at his brother with a grin. "Even if it was going to take that long, we have more than a knife and we know what to do this time, and we're traveling, not staying in the same spot."

Al shrugged. "I'm just saying that staying in the open for that long is dangerous when we're being hunted down by an enemy we don't know."

"Like the Masked Man. I do wander where he came from. Master said there wasn't anything to harm us there." Edward muttered thoughtfully.

"Oh, well. Let's forget about him. We'll probably never learn what that was about." Al replied. He looked at the mechanics that were still sitting by the fire and tilted his head to the side in thought. "So when we factor in the stamina of the mechanics and our injuries that will probably add about two or three days to our traveling, maybe more. I don't know how much the mechanics can take so I can't be sure."

"And if we get attacked again, that will probably add more days because we have to rest after getting attacked so we can treat our wounds." Edward added. "Hmm, this is going to take a while."

"And we might have Isaac hunting us down out here." Al whispered to his brother.

Edward closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened them, they were hard and emotionless. "Let's hope he isn't though. We can't deal with him right now, not with these soldiers and mechanics with us."

Al nodded his head in agreement. It was his brother's job to protect the mechanics. He couldn't do that if Isaac showed up for that duel with his brother. They would get in the way and might get hurt or killed. The soldiers would try to interfere with the duel and the boys couldn't allow that. Their honor wouldn't allow them to cheat like that in a duel when it was one on one.

Cluke rolled his eyes. "It's just secret conversation after secret conversation after secret conversation with you two."

Al and Ed looked up at him with blank looks. "Everyone is allowed their secrets." Al said.

"You are twelve and eleven. What could you two possible have to keep a secret?" Haze scoffed.

Edward frowned. "You forget that we are both alchemists and I'm a state alchemist. We have a lot to keep secret." Both boys knew that he was referring to his human transmutation and automail limbs in that as well.

"Are we done planning?" Al asked.

Myers looked up from the map with a hand on his chin. "Sure, I just needed you two to know what our plan was so far."

Not giving Myers a chance to change his mind, Al jumped to his feet and left the group. Edward nodded his head at the soldiers and followed his brother to the fire. They sat down next to the injured mechanic.

The injured mechanic looked up at the two boys. He pushed his brown bangs out of his eyes and smiled at them. "Hello boys."

Edward looked up from the fire and nodded his head. "Hey."

"Hello sir." Al replied, frowning at his brother.

The man chuckled. "No need for such formalities. I'm no soldier. The name is James Johnson. You can just call me James or if you prefer, Johnson. I'm not picky. And you two are Edward and Alphonse Elric."

Edward nodded his head. "Yeah. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. My ankle will be better in a day or two. Thanks for saving me." Johnson replied kindly. He looked from Edward to Alphonse with a thoughtful look.

"What?" Al asked confused.

Johnson shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm just being ridiculous. I mean they were wiped out four hundred years ago."

Edward and Alphonse looked at each other confused. What was this man talking about? Wiped out?

"Who were?" Edward asked curiously.

Johnson smiled. "Besides being a mechanic, I'm also a historian. I study ancient texts and ancient counties. There is one that caught my interest but I could never figure out what happened to them. It is said that the county, which was really advanced, was destroyed completely in one night."

Al sat forward in interest. "What city and what about us reminded you of it?"

"The City of Xerxes. It was a county that existed in the Great Desert to the east of Amestris. Four hundred years ago it was wiped out. No one knows how. It's a great mystery that we may never be able to solve." Johnson explained. He looked intensely at the boys. "All Xerxesians have golden hair, eyes, and tan skin, just like you boys."

Edward and Alphonse stared in shock at the man.

"Our dad looks just like us." Alphonse whispered.

"Is it possible that someone from Xerxes survived?" Edward asked.

"Your father is obviously a Xerxesian and so are you boys because Xerxesians are the only ones with those traits. In all my studying I have never come across another county with traits like that." Johnson replied.

Edward looked at Al then at Johnson. "But the traits…you said the county was destroyed four hundred years ago. How…..how is possible that the traits were able to last that long? Surely, the traits would have died down eventually as the survivor got married and had kids of his own. They wouldn't all inherit the traits and this was four hundred years ago. There is no way that they could survive this long."

Al pulled at his hair in frustration. "And surely if the traits did last this long, then we would see more people with traits like ours and have some relatives. But we don't have any relatives on either of our parents' sides….Why is this so confusing?"

"Damn it." Edward slammed his flesh fist into his automail hand. "If that bastard was still around we could figure this out, I bet."

"Don't call dad that." Al snapped.

Edward ignored his brother and stared into the fire. What did this mean? How could these traits last this long? And what happened to Xerxes? Nothing made sense. How could a county be wiped out in one night? And how did someone survive it?

"Brother, maybe we should just forget about it now. Staring into a fire isn't going to bring the answers to you." Al replied, resting a hand on his brother's shoulder.

Sighing, Edward looked at his brother with tired eyes. "I know, Al. I just hate not knowing something and most likely, there will be no way for us to get the answers to this. Not if historians who searched for years can't figure it out."

"You should get some sleep, brother. You lost a lot of blood from that bite." Alphonse said concernedly.

"Maybe. The thought of sleep does sound nice." Edward murmured. He looked at his brother. "You should sleep to, little brother. We both need sleep to keep up our energy."

*B*R*E*A*K*

CRACK!

Al's eyes snapped opened at the sound of a branch being snapped. His eyes scanned the darkness. The dimmed down fire wasn't offering much light for him to see. By the fire he saw Lieutenant Cluke standing with a shot gun in hand and looking around. He reached behind him to grab his brother's shoulder and shake him. "Brother, wake up." He whispered.

"Stop it, Al." Edward mumbled as he turned onto his side to face the opposite direction.

Al turned on his side so he was facing Ed and grabbed his brother's shoulder again. "I think someone is out there, brother."

Edward groaned and sat up. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "If this turns out like it did on that island…"

"Major Elric?" Cluke called into the darkness.

"I'm awake. Did you hear that sound?" Edward asked quietly.

"Yes." Cluke replied.

Edward and Alphonse moved closer to the fire, but stayed close to the ground as they moved. Until they determined the threat it was best to keep down in case the threat had a gun. "Do you know where the sound originated from?"

Cluke motioned to the top of the path. "I think I saw someone on the trail, but as soon as he stepped on the branch he disappeared on the other side of the hill."

"Al, Cluke, keep an eye on the group while I go check it out. Don't wake anyone up. There is no point in worrying them if there is nothing to worry about." Edward replied.

Al frowned. "But brother, shouldn't I come….."

The state alchemist shook his head. "I want an alchemist over here while I check the other side." With that said, Edward ran towards the path, leaving his brother behind to argue at empty air.

Edward skidded down the other side of the hill. At the bottom of the hill, he paused and looked around. He wasn't really sure of what to do now. Thinking ahead wasn't his strong point. He preferred to just jump into something and work it out from there.

"Edward Elric!"

The young alchemist whipped his head around towards where the voice was coming from. "Is that you Isaac?" He asked, staring at the dark outline of the person.

"We have a score to settle, Edward Elric." Isaac said.

"Of course." Edward smirked confidentially, but on the inside he was worried. He knew he wouldn't be able to win an one-on-one fight with Isaac. He wasn't prepared and he was injured. "We have our duel to the death."

"You look more confident than you sound." Isaac said with a laugh.

Edward clapped his hands and slammed them on the ground. As he lifted his hands, a blade came up with them. "Shut up, you bastard."

Isaac jumped back a few feet. "Do you really think I'll let you get close enough to me to slice me?"

"You don't need to let me." Edward said. He fell into a stance, waiting for one of them to make the first move. But before either of them could do a thing, the whole area was filled a deafening BANG!

A/N: Please Review!


	18. Chapter 18: Suspicions

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Conspiracy

Thanks for the reviews!

Fullmetal Alchemist quote:

"Damn it, what the hell is this guy's problem?! Making enemies isn't something that I….Well I never really avoided it, but there's no reason someone should be trying to kill me."- Edward Elric

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 18: Suspicions

BANG!

It felt like everything was going in slow motion. One moment Isaac was starting to make his move. The next there was a gunshot followed by Isaac's eyes going wide and he stopped making his move as blood was rolling down his face from a hole the size of a bullet in his forehead, and he was falling backwards. Next, his body was on the ground. Then Edward turned around to see the second man he saw at the train station a couple days before with a gun still held in his hand.

All of it felt like it took a lifetime, but it all happened in less than a minute.

"Why?" Edward asked quietly as he was in shock. "Why did you do that? I…...I thought you two were partners…..friends. Both of you are in the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment, aren't you?"

The man lowered his gun. "When ordered to kill someone, you do it without complaint, young alchemist."

"But why? He was on your side." Edward pointed a thumb over his shoulder at Isaac's body.

"He went against what our leader said and left us. Once you join, there is no going back. We all knew this before we joined so we have a chance to back out. We were ordered to kill him." The man said.

Edward tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword. "And me? I just saw you kill someone. Are you going to kill me too?"

"No."

"Why? Why won't you…."

"BROTHER!"

Edward looked up at the path to see Al, Cluke, and Myers coming towards him. Only when he heard the man speak again did he look back.

"It is unimportant." The man said before walking away.

Edward blinked. "HEY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING? GET BACK HERE!"

The man was soon engulfed by the darkness.

"Brother," Al tackled his brother into a hug. "Who was that? And what happened to Isaac?"

"He's part of the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment and he killed Isaac. That's all I know." Edward replied after peeling his brother off of him.

Al frowned and looked over his brother's shoulder at the body of Isaac. "Well….I don't know what to say to that. I'm happy because now you don't have to fight him and I didn't really like him, but that's mean. He was just killed and I don't feel sad or upset. This is wrong, brother!"

The older brother shook his head and turned his brother around to push him back up the hill. "He was a bad person, Al, and he wanted to and even tried to kill us. He put me in the hospital twice, almost killing me the second time. He even attacked Central. It's alright to not be sad about his death, Al." He pushed his hands hard against Al's back to force him up the hill. "Go back to the camp. I need to talk with the Lieutenant Colonel. Wake everyone up to. I think we might be leaving soon."

As Ed watched his brother walk up the hill, he heard Cluke and Myers moving around and talking quietly. He heard the click of Cluke's shotgun so that he was ready in case someone else was around. "The man who killed Isaac is part of the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment. He was here alone so there shouldn't be anyone else but him around. I know he is alone because I saw him and Isaac at the train station in Akran, only them and no one else."

"And you are only mentioning this now, why?" Myers growled.

Edward didn't reply. He didn't even look at his superior.

"Elric!"

"Does everyone in the military know about the Revolutionary Alchemist Establishment?" Edward asked.

"….Only the higher ups and the soldiers that are working against them." Myers explained. He narrowed his eyes. "How do you know about them? You only just joined the military. They wouldn't have told you anything about them."

Edward closed his eyes and let out a long, deep breath. "So, that's it, huh? The military doesn't inform every one of the possible dangers lurking around. What idiots!" He turned around and glared at the two. "I know because Isaac tried to kill me and before that, he told me about the group because he wanted me to join. Now, can we leave this area? That other guy can still be around and it is too dark to fight him. We might end up attacking a comrade."

Cluke looked at the Lieutenant Colonel. "It might be best to leave. Not only do we have that traitor to deal with, we also have those people from the Eastern Liberation Front who sent those chimeras after us about a mile ago. We really should move."

The Lieutenant Colonel frowned angrily.

Ed ran a hand through his hair as the older soldiers finished inspecting and burying Isaac's body. They had no use for the body. Things were only starting to get complicated. Everything was going to get much worse and they all knew it.

"Brother." Al whispered. The soldiers and mechanics were on the move once more. They didn't want to stay in the area where a rogue state alchemist showed up. "I heard the mechanics talking while you were with the soldiers. Some of them are beginning to get scared with all these attacks. One of them, I think his name is Sam, said something about using their special weapons to protect themselves."

"What weapon?" Es asked. As far as he knew none of them brought their creations with them because it would be really dangerous with people hunting them down for these weapons.

"I don't know. But I did see him look at the bags as he said this." Al replied hesitantly.

*F*M*A*

"Sorry." Al whispered as he brought his hand down onto the back of Hank's neck to knock him out.

Ed buried his face in his hands in exasperation. "Don't say sorry, Al. We don't want him to know that it was us who knocked him out."

The younger brother looked skeptically at his older brother. "How is saying sorry giving us away?"

"Because only you say sorry like that when hitting a comrade while trying to sneak around." Ed replied. He sighed and moved into the fire light. "Forget it. It's already done. Let's just get on with our search."

Ed and Al grabbed all the bags and sat on the edge of the fire light. They sat on the edge so if someone woke up they could hide in the darkness, but also so they could have some light to see what was in the bags.

"This is just food and pans." Al said, zipping the bag up and putting it in the discarded pile.

Ed looked up from his bag. "Too bad they can't all be that simple." He pulled a few metal pieces out of his bag. "These bags have pieces to a weapon. The weapon was disassembled and packed into their bags. They are carrying some type of weapon with them."

"What should we do?" Al asked worriedly.

"I don't know if the soldiers know about this and just kept a secret from us." Ed replied, shoving the pieces back in the bags. "For now let's just put all of this back."

"What about the watch?" Al asked, nodding his head towards Hank.

"I'll keep watch until he wakes up. You go to sleep." Ed replied.

"But you need to sle…"

Ed looked out of the corner of his eye at his brother. "Go to sleep, Al. I'll be fine."

*F*M*A*

Maes strolled down the road with a smile. He wore black slacks, a purple shirt, and a black suit jacket. As he looked around the quiet land he noted how peaceful it was out here. From what he gathered from the townsfolk he should be coming up to the house he wants.

The investigator stopped in front of the burned remains of a house in shock. "No one said it was destroyed." He said quietly.

"Excuse me?"

Maes blinked surprised at the young voice. He didn't realize that anyone else was around. Looking over his shoulder Maes saw a young girl about Ed's age with long blond hair and bright blue eyes. "Yes?"

"Who are you?"

"Oh, sorry. Maes Hughes." He held his hand out for her to take. "And you?"

"Winry Rockbell." Winry politely shook his hand. "Why are you here?"

Maes looked back at the house. "I'm a friend of the Elrics. What happened to their house?"

"Ed and Al burned it down before they left." Winry said sadly.

Noticing the sad tone, Maes turned back to her and smiled gently. "Are you a friend of the Elric brothers?"

Winry nodded her head. "We've been friends our whole lives. They are practically my brothers. That's what happens when you grow up in a small place like this."

"Have they contacted you since they left?" Maes asked.

"Once when they arrive in Central." Winry replied. "Why?"

"So they haven't contacted you since then?" Maes asked in disbelief.

Winry shook her head. "No, why?"

Maes turned away from her and cleared his throat as he tried to get back to being neutral.

"No reason." Maes looked at the remains of the house. "Why did they burn their house?"

"I don't really understand it myself." Winry replied honestly. "I think it was more for Ed's benefit."

"What do you mean?" Maes asked confused.

Winry shook her head and turned away from the house. "If you don't know what happened then they don't want you to know."

"Loyal friend." Maes muttered as she ran back to her house.

Sighing, Maes looked back at the house remains. "Guess I have to do this the hard way. I don't get paid enough for this."

*F*M*A*

"Nice of you to wake up." Ed commented as Hank began to stir.

"What happened?" Hank asked groggily.

Ed frowned at him. "You fell asleep."

Groaning, Hank sat up and rubbed his neck. "Then why does my neck hurt?"

"How should I know? You probably slept funny or something." Ed snapped before standing up. "Now you can watch like you were supposed to so I can sleep."

*F*M*A*

"What the hell is this?" Maes said to himself in complete shock. He had dug through the remains of the house and found a bloody, dirt covered, mangled body. Around the creature was the remains of a transmutation array. Most of it was erased from the dirt but the parts left helped him identify it.

He wasn't an alchemist but he did remember the human transmutation case that Ed worked with them on. The mangled body was like the one from then. As for the transmutation circle, though it was partially erased, Maes could tell that the arrays were similar to the ones of that case. To be sure he would have to consult with Roy, and only Roy. If that is what it really was then this couldn't get out.

Maes got his camera out. Roy would want as many pictures as possible so he could determine if this truly was human transmutation.

*F*M*A*

Knock. Knock.

"Come in."

"Roy."

Mustang's brows furrowed and he frowned. His friend's voice sounded deathly serious. He had sent him to Resembool to find out what the Elric brothers were hiding and it seems he found something and it wasn't good.

"Back already, Maes? You've only been gone a week and a half." Mustang looked up from his work. Maes was standing in front of his desk instead of sitting down like he usually does. He looked completely serious and worried. A manila folder was clenched tightly in his fist.

"No one was saying anything. I think it's because no one but the Rockbells truly know what happened. And they are too loyal to the Elrics to say anything." Maes replied, voice rough with worry and seriousness.

"So you didn't find anything out?" Mustang sighed.

Maes threw the folder on the desk, pictures falling out. "I didn't say that. They burned down their house before they left. I had to dig through the remains of it to find it."

Mustang picked up the pictures and shifted through them, eyes going wide as he did. "I…I don't believe it. This is human transmutation. That's the only thing it could be. The design of the array, the mangled corpse, it all matches."

Running an exhausted hand over his face, Maes let out a deep breath and leaned against the desk with his arms folded over his chest. "It doesn't have to mean that the Elrics did it."

"Who else could have? They're the only ones who lived there. And they burned it down. They wanted to hide it." Roy pointed out.

"Winry Rockbell told me she didn't understand why they burned the house down. But she thinks it was for Ed." Maes said.

"You think only Fullmetal did it?" Mustang said.

Maes nodded his head. "Still, why would they want to attempt it? It's extremely foolish."

"You did the investigation yourself, Maes. You should already know." Roy flipped through the pictures and stopped on the mangled corpse. "You love your wife and daughter very much."

Maes blinked confused. "What does that have to do with this?"

Roy sighed and put the pictures away so he didn't have to look at them anymore. "The Elric brothers' father left them, then their mother died. They were alone. They had no one to protect them and tell them it was wrong. They loved their mother so much and missed her."

"And would do anything to have her back, even break the law." Maes finished sadly.

*F*M*A*

"Lieutenant Cluke." Edward said.

Cluke looked over at Ed, then turned back to the mechanic he was talking to. He said something before walking ahead of the mechanics and his comrades to walk with Ed and Al. "What is it, Major Elric?"

Edward and Alphonse looked at each other and had a quick silent conversation. "Do you know what the mechanics are carrying around in those backpacks?" The young military officer asked slowly and quietly so no one would overhear them.

Cluke blinked in confusion. "Clothes and food?"

"So you don't know what they are truly carrying?" Al asked.

"They aren't carrying that then?" Cluke asked even more confused.

"Oh no, they are. Just not in all of them." Edward replied angrily. "They are putting us all in extreme danger."

The young Lieutenant looked between the brothers in confusion. "Sorry, I'm a little lost. We were already in danger with them."

"Of course we were already in danger with them. But what they have done is put us in even more danger than ever." Edward snapped. He rubbed his eyes in frustration. "They have a weapon with them. It is disassembled into pieces and carried separately in their backpacks."

Cluke resisted the urge to look back at the mechanics. That would only show that something was wrong and they could not have that. "How can you be sure?"

"We searched their backpacks last night and find the parts." Al explained.

"Snoopy much?" Cluke asked sarcastically.

Edward shrugged. "We had suspicions."

"So what do we do?" Cluke asked. "Do we tell Lieutenant Colonel Myers?"

"Not yet." Edward replied. "Not unless we have to. Hopefully nothing more happens and we can make it to East City easily."

"But when have we ever had it that easy?" Al asked.

Sighing, Edward shook his head. "I know."

*F*M*A*

"What will you do?" Maes asked, frowning. He liked the Elric brothers. They were quite amusing and fun to hang out with. He didn't want to see them getting into any kind of trouble. So they made a mistake. That didn't mean it had to end for them, right? They were only kids with no one to guide them.

"I am under obligation to report them." Mustang replied.

Maes, who was leaning on the Colonel's desk, felt his hands curl tighter on the edges of it. "I know they broke the law, but they're only kids, Roy. Kids without a guide in life."

"I said I was under obligation to report the knowledge of those who attempted Human Transmutation. I do not, however, have to report any speculations that were recovered. After all, I would feel so much like a fool when it is discovered that this human transmutation," Mustang raised the pictures that Hughes gathered. "Never happened." With a snap of his fingers, the file was burnt to a crisp.

Maes smiled. "You care about those boys."

Mustang scoffed. "Care? No." He smirked and folded his hands over each other in the air so he could rest his chin on them. "But no one touches the members of my team."

**A/N: Please Review!**


	19. Author Note: Rewrite

**A/N: So I reread this story and I do love the concept behind it and want to continue it, but the writing of the story is driving me crazy so ****I decided the story needs rewritten. So I am going to rewrite the story with a new title as soon as I think of one.**

**Fallen Crest **


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